Easter sales have the worst result in 5 years, says CNDL

Sales in the long term this past Easter period (between 13 and 19 April) raised 2.55% as compared to the same period last year (between 24 and March 30, 2013), reported the National Confederation of Shopkeepers (CNDL). The result, however, was not encouraging for the industry. "This was the weakest result for the last five years", summarizes the CNDL, in a note on the results of the Easter 2014.
To the CNDL, the performance reflects the low growth of the Brazilian economic activity and, in a way, it was expected by traders. "Projetávamos the worst growth the past five years, around 3.5%. But this variation of 2.55% came short of expected and frustrated even more shopkeepers ", see the CNDL President, Roque Junior Pellizzaro.
The CNDL President points out that Easter represents the first large party of the year for trade and can function as a bellwether for the performance of the commercial activity throughout 2014. "Not only that this result represents, but at all reliable indicators of the entrepreneur and the consumer also point, 2014 will be a year of very weak growth for retailers," says Pellizzaro Junior.
The credit protection service (SPC Brazil) assigns the result to the smallest wage growth, high interest rates and, especially, to the high inflation. "Even indicating to be under control, inflation is still high and decreases the purchasing power of the consumer, which impacts sales," says economist of SPC Brazil, Luiza Rodrigues. The activity indicator of trade concerning the Easter week this year, released by Serasa Experian registered, however, increased to 1.6% across the country as compared to the same period last year (between 25 and March 31, 2013).