The situation in wholesale looks better
(ANSA) – BOLZANO, 01 DECEMBER – A significant increase in costs and the fear of lower demand in the coming months continue to dampen the climate of confidence in retailing in South Tyrol, especially among supermarket managers and mini-markets. This was revealed by the economic barometer of the IRE – Economic Research Institute of the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano.
The situation appears to be better in the vehicle trade and repair sector and, above all, in the wholesale trade, albeit with significant differences between the individual branches.
In retail, a third of merchants negatively assess profitability in the current year and almost half already expect an unsatisfactory operating result in 2023, mainly due to a sharp increase in purchasing costs for goods and energy, to which fears of a drop in demand have been added.
The situation in the wholesale business seems to be better, since in the current year profitability is considered satisfactory by 83 percent of companies, and in a third of cases it is really good. Although at a slower pace, sales growth will continue in 2023, also due to new price increases. Greater optimism is observed among food and beverage, machinery and equipment vendors. On the other hand, a more modest climate of trust can be felt among the commercial intermediaries and in the furniture and household items sector.
Despite a complex year, in the auto trade and repair sector, profitability in 2022 is assessed positively by 88 percent of companies. On the one hand, forecasts for the coming year are distinguished by great wisdom.
“Traders are now between a rock and a hard place: on the one hand, they suffer from rising commodity prices at the beginning of production chains, and on the other hand, they are the first to face the loss of purchasing power of consumers and we need that intervention to protect this sector, at least mitigate the impact of increases in energy prices” , comments the President of the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce, Michel Ebner. (Dealing).
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