just the answer - Agustin Markaide, Grupo Eroski
Just-food: How difficult is the Spanish market in the current economic climate?Markaide: There is no doubt that this is a complicated situation because of the liquidity problems that are hindering normal business and high levels of unemployment are having a direct effect on consumption in general. The situation has made consumers change their buying decisions.
They put off making purchases or just forget about it. The price factor, which is always there, is now a critical one for customers, although they behave differently depending on the type of product. In this aspect it is important for consumers to regain their confidence and that will depend on the political and economic decisions that the new government must make bravely and quickly.
just-food: Has the global model lost some of its appeal do you think?
Markaide: I don't think there is such a thing as a global model from the customer's point of view because this differs from place to place, even within the same country. We can think about a global business model as a conceptual definition, but putting this into practice involves looking at aspects such as adaptation to local markets and their customers' demands and requirements.