Since the beginning of 2023, the Chilean economy has been showing declines in its growth rates, but it started to show signs of recovery in July 2023 when the Monthly Index of Economic Activity (Imacec, as per the Spanish-language acronym) reported a positive growth of 1.8% YOY.
On the other hand, business activity remains in the red in areas that include sales of automobiles, motorcycles, wine and other items. That said, there are some clear signs of recovery: the decrease in sales of -4.1% YOY in January 2023 improved to a -2.5% in July 2023. The Imacec shows that wholesale sales are already showing positive growth, while the retail sector is still recovering.
Below is a breakdown of the products that have sold the most in Chile despite the slowdown.
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#1 Fast Food
According to the Chilean Gastronomy Association (ACHIGA) , there has been a 13.9% growth in fast food sales in Chile during the first half of 2023.
In April 2023 there was an increase in sales of 12.9 % YOY, 6.4 % in May and 8.4 % in June.
#2 Electric Cars
Chile is emerging as the Latin American leader in sales of low-emission vehicles. According to the Chilean National Automotive Association (Anac), in the first quarter of 2023 there was a 17% YOY growth in sales of green vehicles in Chile, with 2080 units sold.
So far in 2023, 550 electric vehicles have been registered in Chile, an increase of 91% compared to the same period in 2022. The increase in sales of conventional hybrids in Chile has been 35.2%, with 818 vehicles sold.
Only micro-hybrids and plug-in hybrids showed a drop in sales of -25% and -50.5%, respectively, with 520 and 95 units sold.
#3 Motorcycles
There were 54,500 motorcycles sold in Chile in 2022, a number that is 16% below sales in 2021, according to the National Association of Motorcycle Importers (ANIM).
Despite registering fewer sales than the previous year, it should be remembered that 2021 was a historic year in motorcycle sales in Chile, with 64,700 units sold, more than double that of 2020. And between 2020 and 2022 the market grew by 71%.
#4 Video Games
One out of two video game players in Chile acknowledges spending between CLP 30,000 and CLP 100,000 on games each month (about US$ 34 to US$ 112), according to data shared by Marketing4Ecommerce. The video game industry in Chile is progressing quite well as it generated sales close to US$ 354 million in 2022 and expects to reach US$425 million in 2023, a 20% increase.
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You may also want to explore our other stories on top-selling products in Latin America, as well as the best-selling products in markets such as Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia.
