[ad_1]
The reopened stores in Switzerland will feel a recovery effect in the coming weeks. Online retailing is not a substitute for the shopping experience. This is the opinion of Hansueli Loosli, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Grupo Coop. In an interview with the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” he explains: “People want to go out again, try things and ask for advice. As soon as gastronomy reopens, the high demand for food will slowly normalize. And consumption outside the home is likely to grow again at the same time. ‘
In the corona pandemic, the Coop Group is a winner and a loser. In supermarkets, the wholesaler has benefited from the closure of restaurants. However, Coop lost roughly the same amount of sales due to the fact that the pick-up and delivery wholesalers for the restaurant industry were closed.
Winner and loser
Despite the closures, there were also winners in the non-food sector, for example in online retail and in DIY and hobby stores. Overall, Coop Group was able to maintain sales compared to 2019, said Loosli, who will step down as chairman of the board of directors of Coop and Swisscom in the spring due to age.
Loosli welcomes the discussion on whether up to twelve Sunday sales per year should be allowed in the future. Every Sunday sale brings additional sales. It remains to be seen if twelve Sundays of sales will be approved. It would also be time to open the catering business, Loosli said. Restaurants have good protection concepts.
Decrease in shopping tourism
With an eye toward shopping tourism across the border, Loosli expects fewer purchases will be made abroad after the Corona crisis. Some of the shopping tourists are likely to wonder if the time invested is worth it. Coop also found that regional products and the organic range are in high demand.
Despite the pandemic, retail will not change much. Online commerce will continue to grow, it remains to be seen how profitable the e-commerce business can be. You don’t expect a drop in department stores, even if there should be one or the other adjustment.
