Overview
- The CAME index showed a 0.9% increase year-on-year in June 2026 that ended 13 consecutive months of annual declines, while sales fell 1.3% from May and the first half of 2026 closed with a 2.5% contraction.
- CAME says the June improvement was temporary and driven largely by the Sueldo Anual Complementario (mid-year bonus) and extra spending tied to the World Cup, not by a broad recovery in demand.
- Sales were uneven across sectors: perfumery rose 9.5%, pharmacy 5.4%, food and beverages 2.9% and textiles 1.9%, while bazaar/furniture fell 3.1%, hardware/construction 2% and footwear 1%.
- Consumers stayed cautious by buying essentials, cutting ticket sizes and relying on promotions, bank discounts and instalment plans, while online sales by shopfront retailers climbed 16.7% year-on-year.
- Merchants reported squeezed margins, higher fixed costs, competition from imports and informal channels, and 59.3% said now is not a good time to invest, which limits the chance of a sustained recovery.