After the restrictions of the pandemic, now the shopkeepers in the region of 25 de Março, in the center of São Paulo, feel the reflexes of inflation and the fall in the income of Brazilians, mainly in the sale in large quantities, made in wholesale.
The movement for Mother’s Day, which usually increases in mid-April, is still weak, according to Claudia Urias, executive director of Univinco (Union of Shopkeepers on Rua 25 de Março and surrounding areas).
“At the end of the year, we felt that, at least, the restrictions would improve, but economic instability came. There are a lot of people without money and everything is very expensive. Today, people think about putting food on the table instead of buying something else”, says Urias.
According to her, the region, which normally receives from 800 thousand to 1 million consumers on the date, has registered 100 thousand this year. The bet is on last-minute shopping, after the fifth working day of the month, but bags should only carry souvenirs.
The main impact is the wholesale, according to Urias. “We are a wholesale region. There is retail, which is strong, but we are wholesalers. About 60% of the public comes from abroad, comes to supply to sell. This public is not coming anymore, it has fallen a lot”, he says.
Despite the scenario, she says that shopkeepers should not register losses on the date, which is the third most important for the region, only behind Christmas and Children’s Day.
Joana Cunha with Andressa Motter and Paulo Ricardo Martins
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