World Cup fever has taken a toll on Brazilian retailers, who complain that customers disappear and profits nosedive whenever the home football team plays in South Africa, store owners said Wednesday.
In Rio de Janeiro, store owners reported a 50 percent drop in business when Brazil's team is playing.
If the game falls on the weekend, like the upcoming quarter-finals match Friday between Brazil and the Netherlands, it's even worse.
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If Brazil wins, store owners said they don't expect business to pick up until Monday.
Stores, malls close earlier
"Stores close up earlier and stay closed. Only shopping malls reopen (after the match), and even there business is slack," Rio de Janeiro Store Directors' Club president Aldo Goncalvez told Agencia Brazil news agency.
He said the retail trade in Rio de Janeiro state has already lost 55 million dollars since the World Cup 2010 began on June 11.
"If Brazil gets to the final, we'll be dealing with 550 million dollars in losses for stores across" the state, said Rio Business Association director Daniel Pla.
The only bright spot when the green-and-gold team is out on the pitch are vendors who specialize in World Cup memorabilia, including T-shirts, vuvuzelas, caps and banners, reports said.
