Overview
- CAIJ’s new report confirms imports reached US$91.3 million FOB and 17.5 million kilos between January and October, up 59.5% in value and 94% in volume, with China supplying roughly 86% of value and 95% of volume.
- The number of importers jumped from 199 to 530 in a year, and 52% of the imported volume arrived under US$3 per kilo, which the chamber links to subvaluation and a price-distorting surge of ultra‑cheap goods.
- Factory activity has slumped, with about six in ten machines idle, and a 15% tariff cut this year did not translate into lower retail prices, leaving a saturated market with leftover 2023 stock.
- Retail stress is mounting with recent closures of long‑standing stores such as Rossier (Escobar), Halago’s (Quilmes) and Lilián (Trelew), while weak sales lean heavily on credit and average tickets hover near ARS 35,000.
- Safety concerns are rising over cross‑border e‑commerce listings marketed as international purchases, including items tied to U.S. recall alerts and regional findings of heavy metals, prompting CAIJ’s call for stricter enforcement.