Mass consumption in supermarkets and self-service stores recorded a year-on-year drop of 10.6% in January, despite the deceleration of inflation, according to a report by the consultancy Scentia. Clothing and household cleaning grew by 3.2%, perishable goods increased by 2.7%, and food rose by 0.1%.
The report revealed that sales fell more in neighborhood stores, with a decrease of 13.5%, compared to the same period in 2024. In contrast, supermarket chains saw a drop of 7.2%.
In the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), the decline in sales was more profound than in the rest of the country. Neighborhood stores in the AMBA fell by 17.1% year-on-year, while in the rest of the national territory, the decline was 11.6%. In large chains, the drop was 8.4% in the AMBA and 6.4% in the interior of the country.
The study reflected that, despite the deceleration of inflation, Argentines continue to restrict their consumption, particularly in products sold in supermarkets and self-service stores. The decline in consumption was widespread across all categories of mass consumption products.
The most significant setback was observed in alcoholic beverages (-19.3%), followed by impulsive purchases (-17.4%) and non-alcoholic beverages (-16.8%). There were also decreases in breakfast and snacks (-9.8%), hygiene and cosmetics (-8.2%), clothing and household cleaning (-7.9%), food (-5.4%), and perishables (-1.1%).
Despite this negative trend, supermarkets observed slight increases in three categories compared to January of the previous year.
