The effects of the Covid-19 in Spain
Given the great health crisis that an uncountable number of countries are facing, it was not surprising that companies came together to combat and alleviate the effects of the coronavirus. Without going any further, Amazon has announced that it will focus its activities on the distribution of basic necessities. "We want to make sure that people can receive the items they need, when they need them," the company said in a statement. "We are working 24 hours a day with our business partners and the SMEs that currently sell through the Amazon store service to ensure the availability of all our products and offer more support to deliver all orders." In addition, the company is going to hire 1,500 people to reinforce its activities and is going to apply a raise of additional € 2 per hour worked from now until the end of April.
On the other hand, the food retail sector has focused its efforts on preventing the spread of the virus: disinfectant gel has been provided, limited measurements, modified opening hours, established security distances and recommended card payment. Mercadona, for example, will give preference when accessing for its major purchases, people with disabilities, people with reduced mobility, pregnant women, and the necessary companions. In addition, the main chains have appealed to the safety and value of their workers with economic bonuses and rest days.
At the sales level, in mass consumption the sales figures are much higher than in the same period of the previous year, with growths of 20%, 40% and even 262% in clinical thermometers. However, although the consumption of fresh produce (+ 9.5%) has grown above that of packaged food (+ 8%), “the fishing sector is registering a significant reduction in the demand for fish, in addition to a notable drop of prices in certain fish markets with inshore fleets that will inevitably lead to the cessation of fishing activities in some areas, "CEPESCA said in a statement.
"In this situation, the fishing sector considers it a priority that the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries of the European Commission communicate, both to governments and to the industry itself, the funds and European financial aid at its disposal, such as regulations de minimis or the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP), and that it also adopt the necessary mechanisms that allow the activation of extraordinary measures ”.
As a novelty in recent days, items such as chocolate (+ 23%), olives (+ 68%) and beer (+ 20%) are rebounding. In the drugstore, complementary categories stand out such as scouring pads (+ 15%) or air fresheners (+ 14%). According to Kantar, "after a first moment of supplying the most basic categories such as water, milk, preserves, bleaches and disinfectants, hand soap or toilet paper, which we could qualify as a" bunker effect ", in the following week consumers added other categories come to the basket that complement the most essential, and even allow themselves some moments of pleasure during home confinement ”.
The most outstanding sales figures: