Trade starts the worst year than expected, after a closure of 2021 in which sales have been ballasting due to the impact of the omicron variant, and with timid expectations for January. It is when the period of sales begins, and precisely when it is expected that the price increases are expected that until now had been contained in some cases so as not to hurt the Christmas consumption.
This period of discounts that starts on Friday will be, therefore, weaker. As illustrated Carlos Moreno Figueroa, the Spanish Confederation of Commerce (CEC), "the rebates will be less discounts." "The shops that have not gone well, especially in the most seasonal sectors, as is the case of fashion, they will do everything possible to remove the stock that they have not sold, with discounts. But the rest will have to adjust the rise of costs and transfer it to the product to cushion this constant fall from the margin, "he regrets him.
In his view, "this January there will be a widespread rate of prices, since many manufacturers have already have an impact on raw materials (aluminum, steel, plastic, crystal, electronics ...) and most distributors will have in turn that Transfer this increase in costs ».
The rebates is the way that stores have to get rid of what they have not sold, but cutting their margin. For the trade that there is falling in sales and suffered increase in costs is almost certain loss.
The rebates start officially after the day of kings, although since 2012, shops were allowed to choose when to make their offers, there are many who come forward to December and link almost with the Black Friday, the other period of discounts more popular Among consumers.
Last year, the campaign coincided with Filomena, which brought sales. The textile, the sector most affected by the pandemic, closed the period with falls of 53%. "Taking into account that collapse, now overcoming the figures of the sales campaign of last year is easy, but that does not mean that these are going to be good," Ironiza Eduardo Zamacola, President of ACOTEX, the employer of the textile sector.
In the fall, the activity of the sector began to go back and record increments, but the impact of omicron in the final stretch of 2021 has seen has been strong and "the last two weeks of December, which we thought they were going to be good, have been catastrophic. Sales have fallen resistenously and now the sales campaign will depend on omicron, although it will not save the year, "says Zamáco, who insists that" people are not buying, but the costs continue to increase. "
In 2020, the sector closed with 40% falls in billing with respect to 2019 and this 2021 will do so with 15% decrease over past year's figures. EUROMONITOR provides for this 2022 an increase of 5%.
At a general level, including the rest of the sectors, the CEC had calculated close 2021 15% below what is invoiced before the crisis, but now raises the figure to 25%.
Zamacola remembers that the fall of the influx of people in the stores for fear of spreading, joins that dinners and events have been annulled and for the sales there are many shops "who are having difficulty climbing the blind because there were many workers of low, contagious ».
Although the most dissuasive effect for your pocket will be inflation, which closed 2021 about 7%, the highest level in 29 years. "He is still to see the economic surf he will have in homes and spend this situation," says Moreno-Figueroa.
"The sector is in a very critical situation, because at falling income, we must add the increase in costs by the rise in the minimum wage, plus taxes, logistics costs and raw materials," says Zamacola.
Moreno-Figueroa highlights the increase of about 15% in the case of appliances, since all the aforementioned increases are attached to the guarantee law, which adds more pressure at costs for manufacturers.
Spain goes to EU's tail in the recovery of comcium sales. While in France or in Germany they already grow up to 5% above the levels of 2019, in Spain they are still 4% below, according to EUROMONITOR data.
Date Of Update: 07 January 2022, 01:12
