the sale of home appliances did not have a good year in 2022. And although there could be a recovery scenario for 2023, for this a lot will depend on the minimum conditions that favor this item being met, highlighting some factors such as the reduction of social conflict and the exchange rate.
The president of the Guild of Merchants of Household Appliances of the Chamber of Commerce of Lima (CCL), Javier Ugarteexplained that for this year the result will depend to a large extent on how uncertainty in the country is maintained.
“We would expect the first semester to be the same as the first semester of last year, in which S/4,000 million was reached”he highlighted.
Javier Ugarte also pointed out that the blockades and social conflict in the interior of the country can generate shortages of electrical appliances, since the transfer of the devices is complicated.
“Indoor stores have inventory for a week or two; from there it begins to be scarce (…). Every time there is a road blockade, it translates into supply problems throughout the country and, consequently, there is a loss of sales. If the government finds a method of dialogue that allows there to be no blockades, it would be a positive factor,” said Ugarte.
Another effect that is observed, according to Ugarte, is that “people withdraw their consumption”, since they prefer to spend the money on basic goods.
Therefore, he considered that improving the management of social conflicts will be a necessary factor to achieve at least a slight recovery. However, it is not the only element to take into account, since the evolution of the exchange rate will also matter.
“We import in dollars and sell in soles. So, to the extent that the dollar, which does not basically depend on Peru, but on what happens in the world, does not rise more than S/4, it would be within a exchange rate that we have calculated,” he asserted.
YEAR IN RED
The reality of 2022 was that the sale of household appliances fell approximately 12% compared to the S/9 billion generated in 2021, according to the CCL.
This result was explained because, although many economic sectors were affected during the pandemic, the home appliance sector was able to gain an advantage. The reason? The greater availability of resources from several families who saw their spending on outings and trips reduced and used them to improve the home, and the fact that people stayed at home, which made them need products that facilitate the days of confinement. However, last year that situation changed.
“In 2022, people used their income mainly for activities outside the home. We have returned to spending on entertainment, travel, the gym, “said the manager.
LESS DEMAND
Regarding the products that had a lower demand last year, these were those of White linewhich fell 12%, and computing, which fell 28%.
The fact that Peru does not go to Qatar World Cup caused the sale of televisions to fall by 3%.
Small appliances such as blenders, sandwich makers and coffee makers were flat.
Keep in mind
-The prices of household appliances increased by 15% due to inflation and the rise of the dollar in the first half of last year.
-Sales of the computer industry had a pronounced setback in 2022 because in 2021 they registered a sales growth of 50%.
