In the current context, a slight decrease in total sales in Mexico has been observed, especially in the main products business. According to Andrés Pliego, CFO of Rotoplas, this decrease is due to a slower start in this market. On the other hand, 40.5% of executives reported being affected by weaker consumption.
José Antonio Fernández of FEMSA pointed out that consumer environment weakness has been evident since the middle of last year, following the elections, which coincides with previous years. Furthermore, 35.7% of reviewed companies mentioned that the imposition of tariffs by the United States could have adverse effects in the future.
Diego Gaxiola, CFO of Grupo Bimbo, mentioned uncertainty about how tariffs could affect inflation and, in turn, consumption and consumer habits. Enrique Escalante, director of Cementos Chihuahua, highlighted that the pause in the industrial segment has affected the company’s production volumes in the first quarter.
Regarding future challenges, Luis Félix of Becle mentioned that they expect to face difficulties such as price competitiveness and possible inflationary pressures in the United States due to tariffs on imported products. On the other hand, 33.3% of CEOs reported an increase in labor and transportation costs, while various business leaders see negative impacts from the economic slowdown, geopolitics, and adverse weather conditions.
Overall, business executives are facing a complex environment with economic slowdown and private consumption decline. Some companies have experienced a moderation in the growth of their main categories, and generally, divergent signals are observed in the sector. Investment has also been hindered by volatility and ambiguity in the markets, leading to a cautious business outlook in many cases.
