Open: supermarket sales are stable in January

SAO PAULO-Brazilian supermarkets sales were stable in January compared with the same month of the previous year, according to the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (Open). In real values, deflated by the IPCA/IBGE, the variation was + 0.09% in January. In comparison with the previous month, sales of January showed 21.30% drop.
In nominal values, in comparison with January 2016, there was high of 5.48%, compared to December, 21.00% indentation.
"The result shows the reflection of the economic situation of the country, with high unemployment, and a consumer even more restrained and less purchasing power. We know that the year will be a challenge for the industry, and it takes a lot of effort into devising strategies that help drive sales, "said in a note, the Superintendent of the Open, Tojo Mathew. The entity retains the expectation of 1.3 percent growth for this year.

Abrasmercado
In January, the basket of Abrasmercado products, researched by GfK and analyzed by the Department of Economics and research of Open, recorded fall of 0.72% compared to December, from R$ to R$ 479.64 483.10. In comparison with January 2016, the basket was discharged from 6.06%.
The biggest price increases in January were recorded in soybean oil (6.10%), soda (2.41%), creamy margarine (2.29%) and tomato paste (1.67%). The largest falls were the potatoes ( -14.30%), cassava flour ( -9.32%), tomatoes ( -9.28%) and beans ( -6.36%).

Regions
According to the Open, the Northeast was the only region that showed high prices in January outside the previous month of 2.53%, reaching R$ 429.78; the result was boosted by Salvador (4.20%), Recife (3.75%) and Maceió (2.86%). The biggest fall was registered in the Center-West ( -2.31%), to 450.77 R$, pulled mainly by Brasilia ( -3.39%) and Goiânia ( -2.41%).