Copa and inflation will affect year, evaluates group Apothecary

The World Cup should bring negative impact on the operations of the Apothecary, and can reduce sales by up to 2% in the period. The high inflation, that takes purchasing power of the population, also contributes to turn 2014 into "a tough year", in the evaluation of the company President, Artur Grynbaum.
Still, the Executive expects to earn 13% more until December, for 2013. The performance is lower than that observed last year, when the advance was 16%. The group moved $ 7.6 billion last year, including its more than 3.5 thousand franchises.
"It will be a pretty tough year, in which the results will be obtained by means of a very strong companies in the group," said Grynbaum exclusively to ValorPRO, real-time information service of Value.
For him, the World Cup will be bad for retailers and will end up affecting the generation of jobs, revenue and collection in the industry. "There's a famous email that is circulating saying that cities-World Cup headquarters must have only five business days between 12 June to 13 July (time that lasts the world). Is very little, it must be aware that it's a good event for the country, but life goes on, "he noted.
Inflation is another issue that should stand in 2014. "We had, in recent months, increase in the price of food products, which ended up taking disposable income of households to consume. Inflation eats at the purchasing power of the population indiscriminately, "he said.
Second Grynbaum, Brazil lacks a long-term strategic plan. "All of us are living daily with news about the growth of the economy. And the numbers are not significant, are quite modest. I think right now it would be really important to have a preview of what the future economic scenario. That's what companies rely to plan long-term investments, "he said.
He recalled the moment of real consolidation, with the fall in inflation, which allowed companies planning more than a year. "Today we look and doesn't have as much clarity. The country begins the year with an expectation that growth is sustained, "he said.
The group will inaugurate this year two investments considered important in Bahia, a factory and a distribution center totaling $ 535 million. "I believe a lot in Brazil, we are making strong investments for this year but for 2020, whereas the country will grow, that income [will] stay competitive, but not everyone has that trust," said the Executive.
Last year, the Apothecary came to Natura and took the lead in the domestic market of perfumes, according to research firm Euromonitor. The franchise chain achieved a participation of 28.8% in 2013, while Natura got a slice of 27.7%. Every percentage point that market corresponds to approximately r $ 150 million in sales.
The Brazilian perfumery market is the largest in the world and moved $ 7 billion (more than US $ 15 billion) last year, according to Euromonitor. Perfumery represents about 60% of sales from the apothecary, according to information provided by the company's marketing director, Isabella Wanderley, in an interview with value in 2013.