Mexico City- The surge in Covid-19 infections, which has again put hospitals at the forefront, could slow the recovery of store sales, especially in specialty and specialty stores.

It is expected that before the third wave, mobility restrictions will be imposed again, which will directly affect the employment of people unable to move, said Juan Pablo Flores, director of economic studies at the National Association of Self-Services and Department Stores (ANTAD). Basic stores.

“For the rest of the year, we depend a lot on the progress of vaccination, because if the recovery that we are starting to accelerate continues, it will mean that there are restrictions, and oftentimes these are restrictions on mobility and that could affect sales and betting on,” he said during his participation in the “El Mundo del” programme. Antad Retail’s “Types of Goods Considered as Primary Schools”.

So far, he said, Antad expects a good second semester, although the scenario could change drastically.

Last June, ANTAD sales of equal units, which are those reported by stores with more than a year of operation, rose 21.1 percent, compared to the same month in 2020, when a large portion of department stores and specialty stores closed.

Flores added: “Although sales began to recover, people did not return, but began to buy the goods they considered necessary, according to what they were living; and although the stores reopened, the buying rhythm that existed before did not return.” .

He pointed out that consumers mainly tend to buy food, medicine and health care supplies, which has affected the sale of non-essential items.