Grupo Libertad is closing its Fresh Market store at the DOT shopping center in Buenos Aires and evaluating proposals to divest its operations in the country, a move that fits into a scenario of falling consumption, rising costs, and a contraction in the retail sector. According to sector sources, the chain—controlled by the Salvadoran conglomerate Grupo Calleja since 2024—will leave the space it inaugurated in May 2023 in the Saavedra shopping center, under an innovative format focused on fresh, healthy, and gourmet products. The format offered over 10,000 products, with shelves organized by 'thematic islands' and a strong emphasis on own-brand and imported items. The general sector outlook is not encouraging: according to the latest INDEC supermarket survey, sales of major chains fell 2.8% year-on-year in November, showing a seasonally adjusted monthly decrease of 3.8% compared to October. Libertad's retreat, along with open negotiations by Carrefour, reinforces the perception that the Argentine supermarket market is going through a period of deep adjustment, with international players reviewing their local exposure amid ever-narrower margins, lower consumption, and an still-unstable economic context. This decision led to a complaint from the local Commercial Union for 100 layoffs in mid-January.
