Commercial activity grew in 2016 driven by subsectors such as automobiles, although brakes were still encountered such as growing informality, smuggling and bureaucracy in health and safety records.
At the end of the year, the commercial sector has maintained its relevance for the country 's economy and has become the main generator of employment, with 15% of the total labor force, according to the balance complied by the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica.
An increased supply of imported pork has caused a general price reduction and increased annual per capita consumption by two kilos.
Demand for pork in Costa Rica increased from 11 kilograms (kg) per capita in 2014 to 13 kg per capita in 2015, according to figures from the Costa Rican Chamber of Pork Producers (Caporc) cited by Nacion.com.
The Costa Rica Chamber of Pork Producers is taking Walmart to the Commission for the Promotion of Competition (CPC) for alleged monopolistic practices.
The Chamber’s measure is based on an alleged drop in prices of pork cuts at levels below market value, reports Nacion.com.
The Speaker of the House, Renato Alvarado said an inspection of prices was conducted in different supermarkets belonging to the chain, confirming that the practice of lower prices was observed in places where the producer wants to go 'vertical' (participating in all stages of chain from production to slaughter).
The opening of the fourth Wal-Mart pharmacy in the country will be held on March 30 at the Maxibodega supermarket.
According to El Financiero of Costa Rica, Yolanda Fernandez, manager of corporate affairs for the company, said that "the new facility will sell all types of medicine, injections, blood pressure control and vaccinations."
The article also indicated that Wal-Mart is not doing the registration of its Medi-Mart brand with the Ministry of Health of Costa Rica.
The company inaugurated its first pharmacy in Nicoya and plans to open four more during the remainder of this year.
Yolanda Fernández, the company's Corporate Relations Manager, indicated via a press release that they will open pharmacies in those those where there are currently none. This means that other pharmacies that are already operating inside stores such as Hipermas and Mas x Menos will keep their contracts.