Is Chile becoming Argentina's shopping centre?
Business Daily
BBC
4.4 • 816 Ratings
🗓️ 10 May 2026
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Argentines cross the Andes looking for bargains. With a favourable exchange rate, it can be considerably cheaper to buy well-known clothes and electronics brands in Chile. President Javier Milei's economic reforms have helped ease inflation so some people in Argentina have more money to spend. Jane Chambers has been to meet bargain hunters from Argentina and the retailers looking for their business.
(Photo: Argentine President Javier Milei reacts in the Chamber of Deputies during Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni's annual report in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 29 April 2026. Credit: Matias Martin Campaya/EPA/Shutterstock)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | Hello and welcome to Business Daily from the BBC World Service. I'm Jane Chambers. |
| 0:12.4 | Today I'm asking the question, is Chile becoming Argentina's shopping centre? |
| 0:16.9 | And if so, why now? |
| 0:19.9 | My name is Dolores. I'm from Argentina. |
| 0:22.5 | I've come to Chile with my family to enjoy the beach |
| 0:24.9 | and to take advantage of the great prices we get here in the outlet. |
| 0:28.6 | Things like clothes and trainers are up to 30% cheaper. |
| 0:32.0 | Visitors like Dolores are important for Chile's retail industry. |
| 0:36.5 | We get most of our visitors in January. |
| 0:38.5 | That's when they come to the beach in Vienna Del Mar. |
| 0:40.9 | I think around 10 to 15% of people who visit the outlets are from Argentina. |
| 0:45.8 | We'll be exploring why inflation, exchange rates, brands and taxes |
| 0:49.6 | are all reasons attracting shopping tourism. |
| 0:52.7 | But is it a trend that will last? That's all coming up in |
| 0:55.5 | Business Daily from the BBC. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Argentinians head to neighbouring |
| 1:08.3 | Chile's central coast, with Va del Mar and nearby beaches among |
| 1:12.3 | their favourite destinations. One of the reasons is because it's Argentina's closest, most accessible |
| 1:18.0 | foreign beach and shopping zone. I'm here at Vina Outlet Park, which has become a popular |
| 1:23.4 | destination for Argentinian shoppers. I've been told the best time to come is in the morning |
| 1:28.3 | when the weather's usually cloudy |
| 1:29.9 | before they head off to the beach in the afternoon |
... |
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