Preventive decline and wave of observations in the mass consumption sector

The commentary festival is in full swing, especially in local businesses, supermarkets, shops, neighborhood shops and kiosks. The price lists arrive with increases of 15% on average and in some cases the deliveries of some products are rationedsuch as toilet paper, sugar, oil and coffee.

The shortage has to do, in many cases, with the preventive storage of goods by people and also by many companies. According to specialists, They are survival tactics which proliferate due to dollar volatility e weight loss value in an uncertain political and economic context.

“Regular sugar jumped from $ 107 to $ 158 in one week. And the 4-pack of toilet paper rolls that sold for $ 300, the wholesaler had it for $ 489, “he said. Clarione Fernando Savore, head of the Buenos Aires Grocery Federation. These are just two examples of the uncertainty that has been generated of the strengthening of the exchange and the surprising resignation of Martín Guzmán to the Ministry of Economy.

This Monday, according to the sources consulted, the trend has deepened. “The week before, almost all the bins they didn’t ship goods because they said they were priceless. The only one who gave us something applied a 10% increase “, stressed by a chain of hypermarkets. In addition, he stressed that the shortcomings in the gondola are logical because” they also come to buy shops and self-service “.

The supply of chains is uneven. Those who have shares have a better chance of rejecting disproportionate increases, which can exceed 25%, as is the case with toilet paper and pet food. The kiosks face a more complex scenario, because “the usual increases at the beginning of the month overlap with those generated by uncertainty”, explains Ernesto Acuña, head of the UKRA (Unión Kiosqueros de la República Argentina).

Between one and the other, the channel (about 80,000 across the country) first received strong adjustments in imported products: tobacco and filters from 23 to 30%, chocolates and cereals 20%, batteries, 17%, for example . Acuña says others came later, such as sachet shampoo (19%), imported sweets with toys (15%), condoms (14%) and cookies (12%). “The rest averaged an increase of 10%.“, ended.

The mass consumer market is divided into two large groups. Large supermarkets and wholesale chains, on the one hand, and the so-called traditional channel (proximity shops), on the other. According to Javier González, of the consulting firm Nielsen, the wave of comments further widens the price gap. “We will have to see if the scenario calms down, how is the competitive pattern between the channels and if the market validates the increases,” she said.

Wholesale stores (Diarco, Vital, Maxiconsumo, Makro and Jaguar) describe a similar picture. “There are problems with deliveries due to price increases and inside they are also complicated by the cost of transport,” said the owner of one of the chains. Add that lists received with average increases of 15%.or in recent days and that with suppliers have established a weekly quota for toilet paper.

Warehouses and shops are supplied by wholesalers. Savore laments the increases caused by Guzmán’s resignation and the volatility of the dollar. For example, the manager explains that the 170-gram Dolca coffee, which costs $ 690, “is already over $ 1,000.” He adds that all coffees have increased by at least 25%, such as flour (12%), yerba mate (between 12 and 15%) and biscuits and noodles (between 10 and 15%).