PALMA
SMALL and medium sized shopkeepers in the Balearics reported yesterday that it has been the worst sales period in almost a decade with their takings falling dramatically.
A spokesman for Majorca's branch of their association, PIMECO, said that shops selling clothes, shoewear and accessories had slashed their prices by as much as 68 percent, a full 20 percent more than during the same period in 2008.
He added that under normal circumstances, shops selling these items would enjoy a great sales period but not this year.
Research carried out by PIMECO has shown that this winter's Sales have been particularly disappointing in relation to 2008, with 76 percent of traders interviewed saying that it was decidedly worse than last year, 16 percent saying it was about the same and only 8 percent saying they had done better than in 2008.
Looking at how shopkeepers reacted according to the part of the island they operate from, there were differences between those in Palma and others in towns in outlying areas.