Covid-19 has closed an estimated 150,000 small corner stores in Mexico
Source：La Jornada
From：Taiwan Trade Center Mexico
Update Time：2020/08/30
During the first four months of the coronavirus pandemic in Mexico, 150,000 small corner stores had to close permanently, the National Alliance of Small Merchants (Anpec) reports.
In a video conference, Anpec president Cuauhtémoc Rivera explained that low sales due to stay-at-home measures and reduced income have forced many small businesses to shut their doors for good.
Rivera said small convenience stores have seen a 25% reduction in sales yet the government has not effectively stepped in to help them survive. He estimates that 21% of Mexico’s corner stores have been forced to close.
Although the government has launched programs offering small loans for businesses, Rivera says it has been insufficient. Around 89% of the businesses he represents have been left with insufficient resources to meet basic expenses such as utilities.
A survey conducted by Anpec, which has 95,000 members, revealed sales are down by an average of 64%, and 80% of shop owners said their customers do not have enough money to stock up on products and are living hand to mouth.
In late April, the federal government implemented two programs to support small businesses. The first was a program managed by the Mexican Social Security Institute that offered loans of US $1,100. Only 200,000 were issued, falling well short of the government’s goal of aiding 650,000 businesses under the program.
Source：https://www.jornada.com.mx/ultimas