Retail Trade in New Reality
The retail trade’s challenges and commodity stocks amid the current state of emergency, and tightened healthcare regulations, according to Ia Nadirashvili, Deputy Director of the Magniti network of supermarkets, discussed these issues for the Business Partner.
continues operations at full capacity, the supply chain has not halted in either Bolnisi or Marneuli, because we realize how important it is to ensure a continuous food supply to our population, she noted.
“In Marneuli and Bolnisi, the special safety norms were introduced for employees, the personnel, and the store’s perimeters. The staff of our partner distribution companies wear special equipment. Even in this situation, our network has not suspended supply operations”, Nadirashvili noted.
It should be noted that the scale of sales equaled the period before the New Year period. Now, consumer behavior has been normalized and, instead of decisions made in panic, they are making more reasonable decisions when making purchases. According to the latest indicators, the flow of consumers declined; however, the value of purchases they make has increased. This means that citizens follow healthcare recommendations, and abide with a sense of civil responsibility, Ia Nadirashvili said, and added that the Magniti network fully follows safety standards determined by the Health Ministry, while the supply of food products and essentials is carried out continuously, across the country, despite the curfew. Consumers conduct themselves more reasonably than a month ago. Initially, there was panic-induced demand, and figures that could be compared to only the period before the New Year.
“It is fair to say that the past month has seen pre-New Year level sales in Georgia. The average growth in sales made up 50%. There were days when the demand for essentials, canned products and food rose by 200%. According to the latest indicators, consumer flows declined; however, the value of the purchases they made increased. This means that our citizens follow healthcare recommendations. Consumers go shopping more rarely, but make bigger purchases, and this is a positive sign, because society has shown a sense of civil responsibility”, Nadirashvili noted.
Demand was stabilized in April, but the pace of trades may change again on the eve of feasts, on the one hand, and because some companies have suspended operation, on the other hand, she noted.
“Demand in April remains stable, though we will see how this pace will . There are several big feasts ahead, and we do not know how they will affect trades. Some business companies were closed and some of our citizens may have run out of savings, and in this situation we do not know how these factors will affect the trends in the near-term”, Ia Nadirashvili noted.