Castilla y León Trade Hopes To Break The Negative Trend In Sales

Castilla y León’s retail sales have accumulated negative for two months, according to the latest Retail Trade Index published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). In September, the sector experienced the second largest drop in the national ranking, selling 5% less than the same month in 2020.

In the accumulated of 2021, the retail trade has grown in sales only 1.1% in the Castilian and Leonese Community, compared to the national 4.5 and if we look at the annual data (September to September), the sales rate at prices constant shows a variation of? 0.1% in the series adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects.

“As a whole, the sector is still far from recovering the 2019 figures, but we are working hard on that goal,” confirms the president of the Confederation of Commerce of Castilla y León (CONFERCO), Adolfo Sainz, who once again appealed to the sensitivity of consumers seeking their support in the last two months of the year.

“Both Black Friday and Christmas are two moments of great consumption in the nine provinces of the Community and we trust that they will serve to strengthen the recovery of business,” says Sainz who, positively, highlights the improvement in the health situation and accumulated savings in families.

The stagnation of sales, however, does not affect all sectors equally and small businesses are confident in their strengths. “We have to wait for the National Institute of Statistics to formalize the consumer response in October, but we are encouraged by the end of the year , a period that has always been good for our sector”, confides the president of the Castilian and Leonese trade association .

The uncertainty, however, may slow down the slow recovery of retail trade, which faces serious problems at the end of the year, such as the rise in the price of the shopping basket and raw materials and the increase in energy costs. that affect both the consumer and the self-employed and small entrepreneurs, many of whom today pay 50% more than a year ago on their electricity bill.

“In this situation of uncertainty in the face of what may happen in the short term, a joint effort is necessary”, admits Adolfo Sainz who asks, in the first instance, the self-employed and businessmen of the sector that represents “flexibility and anticipation to adapt to changes continuous and changing circumstances that we are experiencing “.

Sainz also addresses administrations, so that they continue to show the necessary sensitivity to maintain small businesses, which
responds to the support received by creating employment
.
In this sense, Castilla y León has registered the fourth best data in Spain in the Retail Trade Index published by the INE, with an increase of 2.5% in September compared to September 2020, above 2% in Spain.

According to Adecco’s forecasts for the Christmas season, between the months of November and January (both included), 64,300 contracts will be signed in Castilla y León. If so, it would mean an increase of 18.9% year-on-year and those that will generate the most employment will be sectors linked to mass consumption, such as food, distribution, textiles, hospitality and tourism and online commerce, as well as logistics and transportation.