The invasion of Chinese plastic products, imitations of electronics, household appliances, and mobility products are taking over the shops and businesses of national products in the historic center of Mérida, traditionally Syrian-Lebanese shops, surpassing the sales and distribution of inputs, many of them with very low quality.
The arrival of retail companies that bring in countless imported goods from China is monopolizing the conditions of the local market, even of imports that were previously in greater demand, including clothing, shoes, accessories, and fixtures in high demand among the economically most vulnerable population.
According to figures from the Mérida City Council, some 230 shops with Chinese goods and products have been set up in the city center, in mainly rented premises and with important warehouses that supply these businesses, which sell a large amount of imported products at prices very different from local goods, killing national competition.
With this, electronic sales companies and platforms with parcel service have flooded the market with catalogs, and electronic advertising of models and novelties, which are distributed quickly and displace Mexican-made goods.
According to the Federal Government’s Treasury, the import of kitchen, hygiene, and toiletries items from the Asian country totaled 181.5 million dollars between January and October 2023, 54.6 percent more than in 2019, seriously damaging competition with local companies that can do little or nothing at the prices offered, reducing competitiveness and destroying jobs.
The agency establishes that the most affected economic sectors are local crafts and handicrafts, against jewelry, school products, kitchen utensils, eyeglass frames, objects for home decoration, and beauty products, such as combs, and brushes, among others.
Although the products are cheaper in terms of price, their quality still leaves much to be desired, because they have very little durability compared to products that are not of Chinese origin, in addition to the fact that many of these businesses do not pay taxes for the labor they use and that in the end generates unemployment in important economic sectors.
In Mérida, companies and marketers of Asian products have taken over the shops by renting the premises in advance and with minimal conditions the installation of businesses with little control by the Government, regarding the quality of the inputs and the value of the merchandise leaves dozens of micro and small local businesses out of the competition.
TYT Newsroom
