Nicholas Chammas talks current Lebanese trade situation and the way out

ENAR

On a rainy day in mid-November 2018, Executive sat with the head of the Lebanese Traders Association, Nicholas Chammas, to hear his thoughts on the retail and trade sector in Lebanon. Given the amount of text messages Lebanese receive on a daily basis from stores announcing the latest promotion or the ever-increasing number of discount signs on storefronts, it was no surprise that Chammas told Executive that the retail sector is not doing well. His solution? The Lebanese should take advantage of those local promotions and shop more in Lebanon. E   How would you describe 2018 for the retail sector? It was another horrible year for the economy in general, and the trade sector in particular. Cumulatively, we have been going downward for the seventh year in a row. So it has been a terrible trajectory for the trade sector. What we are witnessing today is all factors going