Restrictions on the movement of people test the ability of companies to survive, since in the new business reality it is not enough to have a website to market products, as customers demand effective sales and delivery systems.
In early April, when Guatemala was just beginning its quarantine due to the covid-19 outbreak and the government began banning the movement of people after 4 p.m., some customers reported that the online sales systems of the country's large fast food restaurant chains collapsed in the face of increased demand.
Applying cleaning and prevention protocols in workplaces and shops, such as those stipulated by the health authorities, are the proposals of Costa Rican businessmen to resume the commercial activity that has been restricted since mid-March.
Following the spread of covid-19, in Costa Rica and the other Central American countries, governments have decreed mandatory quarantines and have also restricted the movement of consumers at certain times.
Costa Rican businessmen support a bill that seeks to modify or suspend payment methods and other contractual conditions of leases in cases of force majeure, such as the current health emergency.
In the context of the propagation of covid-19, the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce (CCCR) sees with total positivism the plan of relief in the leases, as much for the families, as for the commercial activity, proposal made by the deputy Pedro Muñoz in the Project, file No. 21.851, reason why we requested to be convoked in extraordinary sessions for its discussion.
The impact of the covid-19 crisis on the wholesale sector in Central America is predicted to be explained, to a greater extent, by the expected drop in trade in disposable items.
The "Information System for the Impact Analysis of covid-19 on Business", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, measures the impact that the crisis will have on companies according to their sector or economic activity, during the coming months.
In Costa Rica, the sale of Grupo Gessa's supermarket chain, composed of 52 stores, to Grupo Empresarial de Retail S.A. was authorized.
On December 12, 2019 the file for the sale of Grupo Empresarial de Supermercados S.A. was presented. (Gessa), owner of the chains of stores of the formats Peri, Súper Compro and Saretto, to Grupo Empresarial de Retail S.A.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, Walmart's sales increased year-on-year in all countries in the region, except in Costa Rica, where they fell because of the lower dynamism of local economic activity.
The signs of recovery reported in the Costa Rican economy in the second half of 2019 do not seem to have been enough to boost retail trade, as one of the largest supermarket chains is registering a drop in sales.
In Costa Rica, businessmen in the sector do not clearly see what the economic direction of the country will be, since the levels of unemployment and informality in small and medium enterprises are still rising.
The proportion of unemployed people in the country closed 2019 upwards, as between the third and fourth quarters of 2019 the open unemployment rate rose from 11.4% to 12.4%, an increase that can be explained partly by the rise in women's unemployment.
During the eleven months that will pass between the beginning of the exit process from the European Union and the entry into force of the association agreement with Central America, trade relations with the United Kingdom will follow the same rules that have been in place until now.
In July 2019, the negotiations of the Association Agreement with the United Kingdom were completed, which contains the mechanism to address the preferential trade relations regulated between both parties, after the process of leaving the European Union, known as BREXIT, is completed.
Almost a year after Walmart's application to acquire Grupo Gessa's supermarket chain in Costa Rica was denied, a new agreement is now announced between Grupo Gessa and Grupo Empresarial de Retail S.A.
After recording in 2019 a decline in sales and loss of formal jobs, companies in the commercial sector of Costa Rica predict that during next year their revenues will begin to recover.
The current year has been a year of economic and commercial contraction, mainly because of the loss of consumer confidence and the consequent reduction in sales, which in turn reduced the capacity for investment and employment generation by companies, explains a statement from the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce (CCCR).
In order to attract tourism from Costa Rica, in the Panamanian province of Chiriqui, investments have been made in the construction of new shopping centers and the expansion of some existing ones.
In addition to plans to modernize the border crossings between the two countries, whose works will favor the transit of tourism, businessmen estimate that in the construction and renovation of shopping centers, Chiriqui has hoarded investments in excess of $500 million.
In Costa Rica, some toy businesses have decided not to raise prices during 2019, ally with banks and make special offers in order to increase sales in a context of economic slowdown.
In Costa Rica, Inversiones AM PM announced that it plans to open four new convenience stores before the end of 2019.
Representatives of Inversiones AM PM, owner of the AM PM and Fresh Market stores, explained that the store that is closest to being inaugurated is the one that will be located in Guayabos, Curridabat.
Authorities from both countries met to review pending procedures related to the export and import of products such as tomatoes, beef, chicken, fish and sausages.
The bilateral agenda also addressed the issues of international cargo transport, smuggling at border crossings, streamlining procedures and efficiency in processes, as well as the provision of facilities and measures restricting the international transport of land cargo, reported the government of Panama.
In the last two years, the number of jobs generated by companies in this sector has fallen 7%, because of the slowdown in the country's economic activity.
According to information from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), between the second quarter of 2017 and the same period of 2019, the number of jobs in the commercial sector was reduced by 28,621, from 386,597 to 357,976.