Bureaucratic interference, high tax rates and a weak judiciary resulting in an inefficient regulatory regime make doing business in Argentina a difficult proposition. A rigid labour market and weak infrastructure further add to the operational woes ...

Cigarettes declined by 11% in retail volume terms in 2016 due to a tax increase of 60% applied by the government of Mauricio Macri in May 2016. This was the biggest tax increase of the last 15 years, and according to the Chamber of the tobacco ...

The Argentinian economy faced a period of economic recession – GDP decreased by 2%, annual inflation of around 40%, which eroded purchasing power, and unemployment rate escalated from 7% to 10% in 2016. On the consumer side, Macri’s reform initiative...

Argentina’s economy will rebound in 2017. A recovery in both private final consumption and exports are the main drivers. Inflation will fall, though it remains in double digits. Fixed investment should strengthen as business confidence grows and ...

Argentina’s per capita disposable income and spending contracted in real terms in 2016, as a result of the sharp depreciation of the Argentinian peso and high levels of inflation in the domestic economy. Nevertheless, following a period of ...

In 2016, the consumption of cider/perry showed a positive performance despite macroeconomic hurdles. Three reasons have been identified which explain the high per capita consumption of cider: culture – it is considered a traditional alcoholic ...

Total volume sales of beer declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2016, affected by the deep recession experienced during the first half of 2016. Also, colder average temperatures experienced during the autumn and winter negatively affected sales...

Alcoholic drinks consumption registered a decline of 6% in total volume terms in 2016 compared with 2015, triggered by a difficult economic environment, which led the Argentine economy to face a period of economic recession, with decreasing GDP, high...

Sales of RTDs/high-strength premixes declined by 9% in total volume terms in 2016, due to the colder autumn and winter, and triggered by a recessive economic period during 2016....

Liqueurs is the largest category within spirits, accounting for 74% of overall volume sales of spirits in 2016. This is due to Argentineans’ heavy consumption of bitters. Recently this was attributed to the popularity of the Campari brand, which ...

The macroeconomic recession, influenced by rampant inflation, lower purchasing power and a rise in the unemployment rate, caused a deep decline in wine consumption....

Argentina’s economy continued to struggle in 2017, with consumption declining in most categories. Indeed, the only segments with a positive performance were the most basic ones offering cheaper options: spectacles and frames lenses. Contact lenses, ...

The Italian group, Safilo, the second largest manufacturer of eyeglasses, has decided to return to the Argentine spectacles market. After exiting as a result of import restrictions a couple of years ago, the company now has an agreement to sell its ...

Towards the end of the review period, government-sponsored financing schemes such as Ahora 12 have contributed to a lower drop in consumption. In 2017, although there was a marginal recovery, the end of these plans did not boost greater growth....

During 2016 and 2017, the entry barriers to imported products, which had been imposed by the previous government, were relaxed. This allowed a greater entry of imported products which was not unfortunately translated into sales; this situation ...

After several years of declining volume sales, personal accessories experienced a marginal recovery across the market. In previous years, discount schemes offered by credit card issuers and banks, shops' promotions and the extension of the Now 12 ...

Watches have become one of the most important accessories of the past seasons in Argentina. With a wide variety of styles and colour proposals, the category gained an importance presence in the major shopping centres....

Although in 2017 sales of writing instruments started later as a result of the fact that school classes started in March, the evolution of the category was marginally positive because 2016 had a very low sales base, and the price increases were lower...

2016 saw stagnation in different economic sectors. The decline in consumption reached its lowest level since 2010. Argentinian consumers faced lower purchasing power because of inflation and the fall in employment. This context had a strong negative ...

The fall in domestic consumption because of inflation, the decline in purchasing power and increase in tariffs were the main events of 2016. In addition, lower restrictions on imports had a significant effect on traditional toys and games, a segment ...