A chef figurine stands at the entrance of a restaurant at La Canada shopping centre in Marbella
A chef figurine stands at the entrance of a restaurant at La Canada shopping centre in Marbella, near Malaga September 1, 2012. Cash-strapped Spanish shoppers and small businesses were resigned to more pain on Saturday, as everyday living costs became more expensive following a hike in value-added tax (VAT). The government has raised its main VAT rate by three percentage points to 21 percent as part of a drive to slash 65 billion euros ($82 billion) from the public deficit by 2014 and save the country from a full international bailout. REUTERS/Jon Nazca (SPAIN - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS)