Crisis: São Paulo retail sector loses 107 jobs in two years.

Brazil Agency - The retail trade eliminated more than 107 jobs with formal contracts in the last two years in São Paulo, according to the Federation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism (Fecomercio). The data released today (16) refers to the entire state.

5.133 jobs were eliminated in December, a result of 66.721 new hires and 71.854 terminations. With this, the retail sector ended 2016 with a total of 2.082.883 workers, a 2,2% decrease compared to the same period in 2015. In total for the past year, 47.146 jobs were lost.

Among nine sectors surveyed, only two showed growth in December 2016 compared to December 2015: pharmacies and perfumeries (2,3%) and supermarkets (0,6%). There was a decline in the segments of vehicle dealerships (-6%), furniture and decoration stores (-5,1%), and clothing, fabrics, and footwear stores (-5%).

When comparing job types, the positions with the worst balance in December were those of materials control and production support clerks (-1.460 jobs) and general clerks, agents, assistants and administrative aides (-889 jobs).

In São Paulo, the capital of the state of São Paulo, 4.147 jobs were eliminated, resulting from 21.257 new hires and 25.404 terminations in December. The total number of jobs was 649.631, generating a negative balance of 12.486 jobs for the year. A 1,9% reduction in the total number of jobs was recorded compared to December 2015.

According to FecomercioSP, the outlook for 2017 is expected to be very difficult, as the retail sector will not be able to recover the losses of the last two years. The forecast is for a reduction in formal employment in the first half of the year, offset by job creation in the last six months, should the economic scenario show improvement.