Fall in consumption in the Milei era: 71% say they stopped making barbecues and the majority restricted expenses

The adjustment and economic deregulation promoted by the government of Javier Milei are having a brutal consequence on the pockets of Argentines. Currently, a survey carried out by Moiguer Consulting states that 65% of those consulted had to restrict their daily consumption, including barbecue. Meat consumption fell 11.3%, according to CICCRA.

The survey shows that 71% stopped having family barbecues, 61% suspended outings as a couple or as a family, 58% canceled going for coffee or ice cream, 56% no longer buy sweets and 55% He stopped buying sodas.

The survey also reflects that 51% of those surveyed evaluate the country’s situation negatively and 43% perceive that the possibility of crisis is high.

According to the consultancy, about half of Argentines (48%) consider that their household’s consumption capacity is worse or much worse and 62% interpret that their household income is below inflation.

In addition, 48% had to use their savings to pay for everyday expenses and 52% of those surveyed have incurred debt. 41% say they have not made luxury expenses, which includes sweets, chocolates, candies or soft drinks. And 83% of Argentines have reduced or eliminated the purchase of usual products.

“Sales easily fell by 50%. Last year we had better sales than now. Sales in general dropped a lot. Now that the heat is coming it is the drinking season, they should be sold and they are not selling in the same volume as last year to this date,” said a merchant from the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, in dialogue with C5N, with the report as a reference.

In addition, he said that his clients are opting a lot for second brands in all products. “Sodas are sold very little, more water is bought. We had to bring second-hand brand water as well,” he indicated.

Marcelo, the kiosk owner consulted, said that it is common for people to inquire about a product they want to carry and when they find out the price, they end up carrying a second, cheaper option. And he pointed out that there is a big price difference between domestic and imported products. “A national candy is around 800 pesos and the imported one is 3 for a thousand pesos. The difference is a lot, with the price of one you get almost three,” he explained.

Immediately afterwards, he showed his concern about the increase in rates and said that in the last month he received an electricity bill of more than 200 thousand pesos, so they had to stop using one of the two refrigerators they had in the premises. to reduce costs. Another drama they face is the increase in rents, which, according to what they said, rose 300% compared to the same month of the previous year. “We are juggling to continue functioning,” he concluded.

Meat consumption plummeted due to rising prices

In the first nine months of the year, that is, in the same period of time of Javier Milei’s management, domestic consumption of beef decreased by 11.3% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 1,646 million tons. of beef on the bone (tn r/c/h) so far this year.

“The apparent consumption of beef per capita averaged 46.8 kilos per person in the first nine months of 2024, which represents a decrease of 12.3% compared to the same period in 2023, equivalent to a drop of 6.6 kilos per inhabitant,” states the latest report from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Meat and Derivatives (CICCRA), which concludes that “this is the lowest level of consumption recorded in the last 26 years.”

Regarding the moving average of the last 12 months, in September it stood at 47.5 kilos per person, 10.9% lower than the average for September of last year, with a reduction of 5.8 kilos per inhabitant.

While they warn about the rise in food costs, a report revealed that making a barbecue in Argentina is increasingly expensive: the value of meat has grown by nearly 120% since January. The index reflects an increase above inflation so far in 2024: after 3.5% in September, the price increase reached 101.6% in the first nine months of the year.

A study by the Center for Argentine Political Economy (CEPA) pointed out that the average increase in the different cuts of meat was below monthly inflation (0.6%) but that in the first ten months of 2024 the increase reached 119, 3%.