A typical Saturday at Mercado de las Ventas - one of Madrid's largest markets.<br/> <br />But many stall owners and shoppers here - already hit by tough austerity measures - will be feeling the pinch after a VAT tax hike came into force today across Spain.<br/> <br />VAT on meat and fish increased from 8 to 10 percent though essentials like bread and milk stayed the same.<br/> <br />Many of these stall owners have opted to take the hit for now, but customers are still upset.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SHOPPER, WHO DECLINED TO GIVE HER NAME, SAYING:<br/> <br />"It's very bad, awful, awful. Prices will increase even more. They take it from our pockets. It hits all of us. So it's very bad, very bad, awful."<br/> <br />Art and culture institutions will bear the biggest rise, from 8 to 21 percent while petrol will rise 3 notches to 21 percent.<br/> <br />A Spanish consumer group says the increases will cost the average family an extra 54 euros a year.<br/> <br />The new rule comes as part of a raft of government measures to avoid a full-blown European bailout.<br/> <br />The euro zone debt crisis has battered Spain, which entered its second recession since 2009 earlier this year.
