Until the beginning of June, Central American countries reported a rise in the number of people who moved to locations identified as supermarkets or pharmacies, however, in recent weeks the trend was reversed.

According to data from Google incorporated into the “System for monitoring markets and the economic situation in Central American countries“, developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, in Panama, where due to the spread of covid-19 the measures of isolation and restriction of mobility have begun to harden in some areas, it has become evident that as of June 24th the visits to establishments identified as supermarkets or pharmacies have fallen.
In Panama, as of June 7, there was a 36% drop in the level of concentration of people in this type of establishment, compared to the levels registered in the last week of February. However, as of July 10, there was a decline, as the indicator already reported -44% variation.

The cases of Costa Rica and Guatemala are similar to Panama’s, since as of June 19 the drops in the levels of concentration of people in supermarkets amounted to 19% and 34%, in that order. A review of the figures as of July 10 shows a decline in consumer visits to these types of stores, reporting variations of -30% in the Costa Rican market and -37% in the Guatemalan market.

In El Salvador, between July 1 and July 10, the concentration levels of consumers in commercial areas decreased, since the variation compared to the period prior to the quarantine went from -29% to -34%. In Honduras, the indicator went from -38% to -41% between 20 June and 10 July.

In Nicaragua, where isolation and mobility restriction measures have been practically non-existent, a slight upward trend in visits to supermarkets is reported.

Stay Safe!!