SME retail sales fell 2% year -on -year in July and 5.7% compared to June, according to Came. The consumption is still afraid, with falls in most of the items and merchants that warn about increasingly adjusted margins.
The SME retail sales They registered in July an year -on -year drop of 2% at constant prices, according to data from the Argentine Confederation of the Medium Enterprises (CAME). In front of June, the setback was even more pronounced, with a decrease of 5.7%.
In the accumulated of the first seven months of the year, the sector shows an interannual growth of 7.6%, an improvement against the same period of 2024. However, the recent trend is less encouraging: Since February, sales maintain a descending path, reflecting the difficulties facing consumption.
Regarding the economy of shops, 57.9% indicated that they remained the same compared to the previous year, while 30% (2.5% more than the previous month) said it worsened. On the other hand, 49.2% of the surveyed businesses held the belief that the economic situation of their business will improve for next year, While the number of respondents who believe it will be worse grew compared to the previous month, establishing in 10.1%.
UNNemed (2)
From the analysis by the item arises that, Of the seven sectors relieved, only three registered positive interannual variations. “Perfumería” headed growth with 1.8%, followed by “pharmacy” (0.9%) and “food and drinks” (0.4%). In the opposite direction, four items presented falls. “Bazaar, decoration, textiles for the home and furniture” showed the highest retraction with 6.7%, followed by “textile and clothing” (-5.1%), “Footwear and leather goods” (-2.5%) and “Hardware, electrical and construction materials” (-1.9%).
UNNemed (1)
During July, Sales in the different items were conditioned by economic factors that limited consumptionlike him Household indebtedness, restricted use of credit and increased operating costs. To sustain the activity, businesses resorted to promotions, installments without interest and discounts, while in some cases services such as delivery or sale were incorporated on-line. Purchases were concentrated on essential products and low amounts, with strong spending planning.
The Came warned that the consumption “does not rebound” and is “very Amestado and complicated”
The press secretary of the Argentine Confederation of Medium Enterprises (CAME), Salvador Femeníawarned of consumption rates and assured that “Do not mislead” and it is “very Ameseated and complicated”. In turn, he added that for merchants “profitability is very small” and that “it costs a lot amortize fixed costs“
In that line, the Came leader said: “After small rebound that we had towards the end of 2024 And the first quarter of this year, He fell. We have registered one Fall with respect to May of last year, that was already coming with more than 7% decline. It is a fall on another fall. It is very Ameseted and complicated. “
Regarding the situation of merchants, he explained: “Profitability is very reduced and costs a lot of fixed costswhich increased by rates updates. The tax burden is still the same, but with smaller margins“He marked in this line in dialogue with Radio Rivadavia.
He also remarked that the situation is aggravated because consumers have less economic availability. “Today 50% of people do not arrive at the end of the month, and that is what is at the bottom of everything. It is not enough to offer quotas or discounts if there is no money in your pocket”, He concluded.
Finally, he referred to the government’s promise to relieve tax pressure: “Since Milei arrived, taxes were not lowered, on the contrary: the profits joined. The president himself had said that he was going to cut an arm if he created a new tax, and yet he did it. This tax structure undermines the final price and deepens the drop in consumption, ”he said.
Source: Ambito
