Business · Economy · 19 hrs ago
Rain and inflation weaken Mexican retailers’ sales in third quarter
Mexican retailers faced weaker sales in the third quarter as heavy rain, rising prices and cautious shoppers weighed on business.
The pressure affected supermarket and department-store chains including La Comer, Soriana, Chedraui, Walmart, Liverpool and FEMSA’s OXXO.
Shoppers prioritized basic goods and cut back on discretionary purchases, while rain kept some customers away from stores.
ANTAD said sales at comparable stores rose 1.4% in the first nine months of 2026, but fell 0.9% in September.
After inflation, September sales were down 2.46%, showing how price increases reduced the value of sales.
Analysts expected weak results from Liverpool and Suburbia, while forecasting revenue growth of 3.9% for Walmart de México and about 7% for FEMSA.
Retailers are trying to control costs as pressures continue, but the story gives no further outlook beyond the analysts’ forecasts.
Rain, inflation and cautious consumer spending weakened Mexican retailers’ sales in the third quarter of 2026.
ANTAD reported that comparable-store sales fell 0.9 percent in September, while inflation-adjusted sales declined 2.46 percent.
For the first nine months of the year, ANTAD reported nominal comparable-store sales growth of 1.4 percent.
Analysts said households were prioritizing basic goods and limiting discretionary purchases, while rain reduced store traffic.
Forecasts differed by retailer, with projected revenue growth for Walmart de México and FEMSA but a decline for Chedraui.
- Who
- Mexican retailers, including La Comer, Soriana, Chedraui, Walmart, Liverpool and FEMSA.
- What
- Rain, inflation and cautious consumer spending weakened sales and pressured retailers.
- When
- The third quarter of 2026; ANTAD also reported September sales figures.
- Where
- Mexico.
- Why
- Rain reduced store traffic, while higher prices and economic uncertainty weighed on consumers’ spending.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
ANTAD reported nominal comparable-store sales growth of 1.4 percent.
ANTAD reported a 0.9 percent decline in comparable-store sales and a 2.46 percent fall in inflation-adjusted sales.
- ANTAD comparable-store sales, first nine months of 2026
- Up 1.4 percent nominally
- ANTAD comparable-store sales, September
- Down 0.9 percent
- Inflation-adjusted sales, September
- Down 2.46 percent
- Walmart de México revenue forecast
- Growth of 3.9 percent
- FEMSA sales forecast
- Growth of around 7 percent
- Chedraui forecast
- Decline of 0.8 percent
What people are saying
Consumer weakness continues to affect the entire industry, although some factors support resilience, such as low unemployment and minimum-wage increases; other conditions worsen consumer sentiment, such as the rainy season limiting store traffic, accumulated price increases and general macroeconomic uncertainty.
When it is raining, people do not get out of the car or walk to the store to shop. So, in years with such heavy rain, we do see an impact in certain areas of the country, mainly affecting beverage consumption.