Supermarket sales rose 0.9% in 2023

Sales in supermarkets rose 0.9% last year and 4.7% in large wholesale centers, the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) reported today. These increases came after in December, the month in which retail inflation climbed to 25.5%, sales in supermarkets fell 6.6% compared to the same month in 2022 and in wholesalers fell by 7.1%, the agency reported. On the other hand, in the large shopping centers, sales measured at constant prices rose 12.7% despite having fallen 0.4% year-on-year in December. The report also revealed that in total sales at current prices, during December 2023, the items with the most significant increases compared to the same month in 2022 were: “Meats”, 292.5%; “Bakery”, 241.1%; “Warehouse”, 239.2% and “Cleaning and perfumery items”, 232.4%, reported Indec.During the last month of last year, 39.3% of purchases in supermarkets were made with credit cards, 34.3% with Debit, 19.9% in cash, and 6.5% with “other means of payment”. In wholesale supermarkets, total sales at current prices, for December 2023, totaled $191,288.8 million, which represented an increase of 212.3% compared to the same month of the previous year. The items with the most significant increases compared to the same month of the previous year were: “Clothing, footwear and home textiles”, with 399.6%; “Meat”, 395.5%; “Bakery”, 336.5%; and “Dairy”, 263.6%. In this sales channel, debit card purchases led the turnover with 27.4%; followed by Credit with 25.4%; Cash 28.4%; and Other means of payment, 18.9%. In shopping malls, December’s turnover amounted to 340,698 million pesos, with a growth of 197% compared to the last month of 2022.The items with the highest increase were: “Fun and leisure”, with 252.7%; “Bookstore and stationery”, 252.4%; “Perfumery and pharmacy”, 241%; and “Food Court, Food & Kiosks,” 208%.
Original source in Spanish