Mexico’s beloved corner stores are in danger of disappearing, new survey shows

Mexico’s vicinity stores (tienditas) person heavy roots successful their communities, wherever they often connection section products astatine accessible prices. But galore are astatine hazard of disappearing, arsenic rising inflation, debased income and extortion could pb to their imperishable closure, according to a National Alliance of Small Businesses (ANPEC) survey published connected Wednesday.

Over 2,300 merchants, mostly women, heads of households and entrepreneurs, were interviewed arsenic portion of ANPEC’s Pulse of the Neighborhood Store 2025 survey. Of those surveyed, 77% said they were acrophobic astir the hazard of imperishable closure and 68% said they’d had to adjacent temporarily, either for a weekday oregon for a fewer hours, conscionable to survive.

Roughly 80% of vicinity tienditas are market stores, and fractional run retired of the owner’s home. (File photo)

Many participants blamed debased income connected rising inflation, saying that  lone 1 successful 10 customers tin spend each 24 indispensable pantry items successful the basal nutrient basket, oregon canasta básica.

Some besides said extortion was a large issue, with 4 successful 10 tiny shops having experienced the crime, either via telephone oregon by section gangs.

“Extortion is contiguous successful astir each commercialized activities, from distant neighborhoods to municipality areas with greater user spending,” ANPEC President Cuauhtémoc Rivera said.

Participants reported selling products astatine a nonaccomplishment oregon switching to lower-cost products to enactment successful business.

The economical unit has led 3 successful 10 businesses to halt paying for basal services, specified arsenic h2o oregon spot taxes, according to the survey.

“Commerce is experiencing a paradox: the stores are open, but the refrigerators are empty,” said Rivera. “Purchasing powerfulness has been shattered, and nutrient ostentation dictates each endurance decision.”

As soaring inflation has forced consumers to trim spending, 75% of store owners surveyed said they person mislaid customers owed to them looking for cheaper alternatives.

Eight successful 10 tiny merchants surveyed connection groceries, and 62% businesses were little than 10 years old, with astir fractional operating from home. In addition, astir 32% of the shops emerged retired of necessity, owed to unemployment oregon layoffs, portion 48% were created retired of entrepreneurship.

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Many of the tiny shops are wide considered the “fabric of the neighborhood,” according to Rivera.

Most participants — astir 90% — said they had not received immoderate integer grooming and galore had nary outgo terminal oregon different mode to person funds electronically. However, 72% expressed a willingness to innovate but were unsure however to start. ANPEC said the numbers item the request for greater training, arsenic good arsenic nationalist policies that enactment tiny businesses and assistance them grow.

“Giving up is not an option, but resisting requires progressively much effort,” stressed Rivera.

“This resilience is painful. The tiny shops endure, not for profit, but retired of commitment. They merchantability astatine a loss, endure without support, and proceed retired of pride.”

With reports from El Economista