Kioshi owner warns footwear situation is almost terminal

Emmanuel Fernández, owner of the Kioshi shoe brand, warned about the severe crisis facing Argentina's footwear sector.

In statements to the streaming show Ahora Play, Fernández noted that the company went from 120 employees to just 15. “It is terrible. The lack of consumption is total,” he said.

The businessman explained that per capita sales dropped from nearly four pairs to two, reaching levels similar to those in Peru and Bolivia. He added that commercial premises are closing at a rate of one per day.

Fernández mentioned that manufacturers in areas such as Lanús and Lomas de Zamora are shutting down workshops and renting the spaces for other uses. He indicated that the situation worsens month by month and that many merchants are choosing to pursue other activities.

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Illustration depicting Argentina's February economic decline with falling graphs, closed factories, and empty shops in Buenos Aires.
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Economic activity fell 2.6% in February, according to INDEC

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Argentina's monthly economic activity estimator (EMAE) recorded a 2.1% year-over-year drop and a 2.6% seasonally adjusted decline in February 2026, INDEC reported. Manufacturing industry contracted 8.7% and commerce 7.0% year-over-year.

The Argentine Textile Industries Federation (FITA) reported that textile production fell 23.9% year-over-year in January 2026, the sharpest drop since 2016. Factories operated at just 24% of installed capacity, with warnings over low-priced imports impacting jobs and competition.

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Economic journalist Ariel Maciel warned of high tax pressure and the SME crisis in Argentina, stating that without structural changes there will be no incentives to hire formally. He criticized the lack of dialogue with the private sector and the unsustainable cost of labor hiring.

Over 200 stores will join the Black Mayorista initiative from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 May to boost consumption. The move comes amid falling sales and slowing inflation.

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Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof announced a boost in medication delivery across the province's 135 municipalities. The measure expands the Medicamentos Bonaerenses program following national cuts to the Remediar program. Kicillof sharply criticized the national government for underfunding health policies.

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