C&A plans to keep shops in Brazil base in 2017, Executive says

São Paulo – the C&A clothing retail chain plans to keep its stores in Brazil in 2017, in anticipation of a less negative scenario for the sector, said Reuters the Vice President of operations and marketing company in the country, Elio Silva.
"I don''t have a plan for closing stores, but we''re going to be following up on the outside," said the Executive.
The C&A, retailer of Dutch origin is completing 40 years of presence in the country, now has more than 270 stores in Brazil, having opened more than 100 units over the last 7 years.
This year, however, there was a reduction of around 5% of the total area of shops, with the closure of 12 units, being a good part in shopping malls.
"The same way that open shop, you have to look at the performance ...," said Silva, citing that this movement occurred in smaller stores, new markets, in medium to small-sized cities and in projects that were not ripe.
Among the major networks in the industry, Marisa Shops should also terminate 2016 with fewer stores than last year, while Riachuelo, Guararapes group has already signaled that it will review its expansion plan. At the other end, the Lojas Renner follows steady expansion plan, in order to finish 2021 with 450 units.
Despite the reduction in the area of shops, the C&A must close with positive result 2016 total sales and comparable. "In the current scenario, (let''s grow) a digit very good," said the Executive without value.
The company, privately held, does not disclose data about the performance.
The 2016 ranking of the Brazilian Institute of executives in the retail and Consumer market puts the network in fourth position in terms of revenue in the segment of fashion and sport, estimating sales of 4.55 billion dollars in 2015.
Silva said he still watches a retracted consumption environment, but that the C&A has presented a good performance. "There was no increase in flow shops, but the number of pieces sold and the amount of people making purchases has increased."
For Christmas, he said he expected sales performance better than last year.
According to Silva, changes in retailer''s strategy in the country and economic signals that the scenario will be a little more promising for retail must also help the network performance next year.
"If next year the economy grow 1% ever going to help," said the Executive.