A total of 1,094 rulings on franchises have been issued in Spain between 1995 and 2025. The average litigation rate remains at 0.09%, according to the tenth Jurisprudence Observatory.
According to emprendedores.es, the X Jurisprudence Observatory on Franchises in Spain counts 1,094 rulings on franchise contracts issued between 1995 and 2025. The study is prepared by the Legal Experts Committee of the Spanish Franchise Association (AEF), in collaboration with BBVA, and was presented this year in its tenth edition.
Of these rulings, 1,067 correspond to Provincial Courts, 26 to the Supreme Court, and 1 to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The annual number fluctuates between 21 and 58 rulings, with 52 recorded in 2025.
The sectors with the most litigation are Hospitality and Restoration, with 118 cases, and Fashion, with 114. They are followed by Beauty and Aesthetics (84), Transport Services (49), and Real Estate Services (46).
The study indicates that 58.2% of the cases were initiated by the franchisor, and that rulings in favour of the franchisor account for 67% of the total.
Among the reasons for conflict, the Observatory identifies eight issues, including the nullity of the contract due to defects in the franchisee's consent, termination for non-payment of fees and royalties, and breach of the post-contractual non-competition clause.
“The average litigation rate remains at 0.09%, just as in previous years,” states Jordi Ruiz de Villa, president of the AEF Legal Experts Committee.
For Eduardo Abadía, executive director of the AEF, the data confirms that the Spanish franchise model is mature and stable. The president of the AEF, Luisa Masuet, highlights that the average of 35 annual rulings reflects the low number of conflicts that reach the courts.
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