The arrival of the pandemic changed many of the basic activities of people and societies; By will, by restriction or by necessity, food is one of them and continues to transform.
Although the Covid-19 and its consequences do not distinguish between gender, race or socioeconomic circumstance, the blow was stronger for some groups. The restaurant industry, for example, it is one of the economic sectors most affected by this new virus.
While the mexican economy Total fell 8.2% in 2020 due to the activity stoppage implied by the confinements and restrictions, the contraction in the restaurant industry it was three times stronger. In the year Covid-19 this sector presented a drop of 29.3%, according to figures prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) in conjunction with the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac).
The restaurants, bares, loncherías o coffee shops They were among the first to close their doors when the new virus touched Mexican territory as non-essential activities. Before the arrival of an unknown disease, everything was trial and error, first it was believed that the virus could spread if we touched an infected object, then it was found that in the air we could also contract it. Then it was discovered that the open spaces are safer and the mask is the best way to protect ourselves.
As science and medicine advanced to learn about the virus, find the best treatments, and achieve immunity, restrictions around the world became more flexible. In Mexico, restaurants opened their doors after the first wave of infections around June 2020, but by December they had to close again before the arrival of the second outbreak of Covid-19.
It was not until certain cities in the country began a movement led by representatives of the sector and their collaborators to reopen their doors to diners. In Mexico City it was called #AbrimosOMorimos.
The restaurant industryFurthermore, it has been one of the main sectors for the total national economy and one of the most important generators of employment in recent decades thanks to its direct relationship with tourism, which contributes about 9% to the Mexico GDP.
This also reflects the reason why the Mexican economy experienced one of the deepest declines in the Latin American region; the high dependence on tertiary activities exacerbated the impact of the crisis.
At the end of 2020, Mexico registered a balance of 391,414 fewer businesses, among those that definitively closed their doors and those that were created, according to the figures from the Inegi Business Demography Survey (EDN).
This statistical project reflected that most of the business units that belonged to the services sector have also had a significant decrease in the total and in the number of employed personnel within the sector.
For instance, Quintana Roo, one of the pearls of international tourism in Mexico, was the state that saw the highest percentage of formal businesses disappear: 3 out of 10 (28.9%) units that existed before the pandemic died permanently.
In terms of informality, Baja California Sur It was the entity with the highest proportion of units eliminated by the pandemic, also with a level of 3 out of 10 (34.0 percent).
Other relevant data of the restaurant industry
- This sector represents 12% of all businesses and companies in the country
- It employs just over 2 million people
- 96% of restaurants or food businesses are family businesses with fewer than 10 workers
- The restaurant industry is active with 34% of the total productive sectors of the country
- Going to eat at restaurants is in the top 5 of activities that the strangest people in life before Covid-19
2020 was a complex year in economic and labor terms for the restaurant industryIn 2021, with the start of vaccination and the easing of restrictions, it has managed to recover part of what was lost. Despite this, the emergence of new variants and the persistence of anti-vaccine groups have significantly hampered the recovery of this sector and others more related to food, art, culture, entertainment and tourism in general.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx