Argentina's small‑business retail sales rise 0.9% YoY in June

The Confederación Argentina de la Mediana Empresa (CAME) reported that retail sales of small and medium‑size enterprises grew 0.9% year‑on‑year in June 2026, while falling 1.3% compared with May and leaving the first half of the year down 2.5%. The modest interannual gain was driven by the cash influx from the annual bonus (SAC) and heightened consumer activity around the FIFA World Cup.

Sectoral performance showed the strongest gains in perfumery (+9.5%), pharmacy (+5.4%), food & beverages (+2.9%) and textile & apparel (+1.9%). Declines were recorded in bazaar‑decor‑furniture (‑3.1%), hardware & construction materials (‑2.0%) and footwear (‑1.0%). Online sales from stores with physical locations rose 16.7% YoY and 4.1% month‑on‑month.

Half of the surveyed merchants (50.1%) said their economic situation remained stable, while 43.1% reported a worsening outlook. Looking ahead, 52.3% expect little change over the next year, 37.7% anticipate improvement and 10% foresee deterioration. Investment sentiment remains cautious, with 59.3% viewing the current environment as unfavorable for new capital projects.

In Catamarca, merchants noted a local sales uptick linked to Father’s Day and expressed optimism ahead of the upcoming Fiesta Nacional e Internacional del Poncho, while also warning that high rental costs are pushing many businesses toward peripheral commercial zones.