Rainer Trefelik: “Companies reach their limits when it comes to liquidity”
Austria has been in a tough lockdown again for a month. With a few exceptions, the shops are closed. Trade chairman Rainer Trefelik is pushing for an opening on February 8th. The government had announced this date as the expected opening date, but will not announce details until next week.
The companies are reaching their limits when it comes to liquidity and have been put off too often. “Their patience is slowly running out,” said the sales representative.
Each additional week of lockdown worsen the liquidity shortage, Trefelik said on Wednesday, according to a broadcast. “The damage that is caused is partly irreparable.” It is therefore necessary to take opening steps as quickly as possible.
The trade association recently assumed a loss of sales of around EUR 900 million per lockdown week in the non-food trade. At the moment, only supermarkets, drugstore chains, tobacconists and pharmacies are open.
“Reliable opening plan”
The rest would “finally” need a perspective, said Trefelik. “And this must be a reliable opening plan starting on February 8th,” the trade chairman demands.
FFP2 masks have been mandatory in retail since Monday. Trefelik sees the preparations made to ensure a safe unlock. “The clusters are formed elsewhere. All statistics confirm that the infections occur primarily in the family and leisure time, but not in the trade,” said the sales representative.
