After this spring's big sales drop: "Feeling a cautious optimism"

- I feel a cautious optimism for the autumn, says Jennie Arkman Engqvist.

According to statistics from Statistics Sweden, Statistics Sweden, compiled by Swedish Trade, the optics industry, together with the shoe, clothing and watch industry, lost the most sales during the period April-June this year compared with the same period last year. In the optics industry, as much as 24 percent of sales disappeared during these three months.

For Jennie Arkman Engqvist's optics store, May was the worst month. As much as 50 percent of the store's sales then disappeared.

- Then we had it toughest. We had a big loss in April as well, but in May it was the worst, says Jennie Arkman Engqvist.

Several store managers that SVT Nyheter Småland spoke to testify to the same thing - that they experienced a loss of sales during the first months of the pandemic, but an upswing during the summer months. Most of the store managers claim that it is the elderly who have gone to the stores again.

But despite the fact that customers return to the store, Jennie Arkman Engqvist does not dare to be too positive about the autumn. Customers stayed at home for the first few months when the corona pandemic came to Sweden, and she does not rule out that a second wave of corona could hamper the store's sales again.

- It would be if there is a major outbreak in our region again and that we will both be sick and stay at home even more than we have already done, says Jennie Arkman Engqvist.

Hear Jennie Arkman Engqvist in the video player