ANALYSING THE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC ON THE RETAIL SECTOR IN TURKEY'S ECONOMY

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on economic and social life in the world and in the Turkish economy. The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected economic life by causing disruptions in the global supply chain. In order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, humanitarian actual mobility at national and international level has been restricted at various levels. This study analyses the effects of the pandemic on the retail sector in the Turkish economy. The magnitude of the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic varied across sectors and countries. As a result of the study, the following conclusions were reached. While food retailers in the Turkish retail sector increased their turnover during the Covid-19 pandemic, non-food retailers decreased their turnover during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Turkey's retail trade volume and turnover index contracted in April-May 2020. However, the retail sector was able to quickly overcome the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In June 2020, volume and turnover indices increased. In the company-based analysis results, although profitability and growth rates were affected at different rates according to the companies, especially the food retail sector was the least negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important for sectors to strengthen their crisis and risk management approaches in order to minimize the impact of future crises in our country.