92.6 percent of shopkeepers in İstanbul cannot meet fixed costs

* Photo: Esra Bilgin / AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

İstanbul Statistical Office, under the umbrella of İstanbul Planning Agency, has shared the results of its "Study on Neighborhood Shopkeepers in İstanbul During Pandemic" conducted with the participation of 702 shopkeepers such as barbers, hairdressers, stationery owners, tailors, dry cleaners, restaurant and cafe owners in 39 districts of İstanbul.

Focusing on the changing economic conditions of shopkeepers in İstanbul during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the study has been prepared based on phone surveys carried out with shopkeepers in neighborhoods on February 9 to 20, 2021.

Barbers' average income loss: 53.4 percent

While 20.4 percent of barbers and hairdressers were working on their own before the onset of the pandemic, this rate has increased to 41.9 percent. Their average number of customers a day has dropped by 55 percent.

With the onset of the pandemic, customers are now going to barber shops or hairdressers every 87 days, rather than every 29 days as before.

96.3 percent of barber shops and hairdressers have suffered an income loss. The average income loss is calculated as 53.4 percent.

92.6 percent of these shopkeepers are having difficulty in meeting their fixed operational costs such as rent, bills and workers' salaries. While 35.7 percent of them say that they can pay these costs by borrowing money, 33.7 percent say that they can hardly afford them.

23.2 percent of participants indicate that they cannot meet these fixed costs. Only 7.4 percent can afford to pay them easily.

Stationeries' customers drop by 76 percent

While only 26.6 percent of stationery owners were working on their own before the pandemic, this rate has increased to 52.4 percent. The average number of their daily customers has dropped by 76 percent while their average income has fallen by 64 percent.

92.3 percent of these shopkeepers are having difficulty in meeting their fixed operational costs such as rent, bills and workers' salaries. While 43.7 percent of them say that they can pay these costs by borrowing money, 33.1 percent say that they can hardly afford them.

15.1 percent of participants indicate that they cannot meet these fixed costs. Only 7.7 percent can afford to pay them easily.

None of the tailors has increase in their income

While 56.9 percent of tailors in İstanbul were working on their own before the pandemic, this rate has increased to 75.2 percent. The average number of their daily customers has dropped by 80.5 percent while their average income has fallen by 70.7 percent. No tailors has reported an increase in his or her income; the income of 99.3 percent has dropped.

94.9 percent of these shopkeepers are having difficulty in meeting their fixed operational costs such as rent, bills and workers' salaries. While 43.1 percent of them say that they can pay these costs by borrowing money, 29.9 percent say that they can hardly afford them.

21.9 percent of participants indicate that they cannot meet these fixed costs. Only 5.1 percent can afford to pay them easily.

Dry cleaners' work capacity drops by 76 percent

While only 24.6 percent of dry cleaners in İstanbul were working on their own before the pandemic, this rate has increased to 48.4 percent. Their business capacity has dropped by 76 percent.

While none of them has reported an increase in their income, 97.6 percent say that their income has dropped in this period. Their average income has fallen by 71.1 percent, according to the study.

96.8 percent of these shopkeepers are having difficulty in meeting their fixed operational costs such as rent, bills and workers' salaries. While 50.4 percent of them say that they can pay these costs by borrowing money, 24 percent say that they can hardly afford them.

22.4 percent of participants indicate that they cannot meet these fixed costs. Only 3.2 percent can afford to pay them easily.

Increase in take-away restaurants, cafes

While only 1 percent of restaurant and cafe owners in İstanbul were working on their own before the pandemic, this rate has increased to 19.2 percent. Their average number of customers a month has dropped by 83.5 percent and their average income has dropped by 73.1 percent.

The number of restaurants and cafes offering take-away food has increased by 64 percent during the pandemic.

97.1 percent of these shopkeepers are having difficulty in meeting their fixed operational costs such as rent, bills and workers' salaries. While 53.4 percent of them say that they can pay these costs by borrowing money, 15.5 percent say that they can hardly afford them.

28.2 percent of participants indicate that they cannot meet these fixed costs. Only 2.9 percent can afford to pay them easily. (HA/SD)

* Click here to read the full study (in Turkish)