Mexico’s answer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday got under way on Thursday with 215,000 businesses across the country advertising discounts and special offers as part of the five-day El Buen Fin shopping extravaganza.
Kicking off what is described as the “largest commercial festival in the country,” Octavio de la Torre, president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco-Servytur), made the first purchase at the Solesta shopping center in Puebla city.
After paying for his item, De la Torre said El Buen Fin “unites companies, authorities and consumers around formal and responsible commerce.”
“El Buen Fin is no longer just a weekend of sales,” he said, “it is a national cause measured by how it improves people’s lives. Every purchase at a formal business or a registered family-run company helps keep money in our communities, generates jobs and provides security for families.”
Shoppers can expect to find deep discounts on consumer goods and services at businesses, shops and service providers registered on the official El Buen Fin platform.
Additionally, financial institutions such as BBVA, Banamex, Banorte, Scotiabank and Banco Azteca are offering interest–free payment plans, including “buy now and pay in 2026” promotions. Cashback programs and bonus points are also on offer.
El Buen Fin (roughly translating to “The Good Weekend”) was established in 2011 as a joint effort by the federal government, banking institutions and the private sector to stimulate the domestic economy and boost consumer spending.
Last year, El Buen Fin generated 173 billion pesos (US $9.4 billion) in sales during the four-day weekend. Concanaco-Servytur estimates that with an additional day of shopping this year nationwide sales will surpass 200 billion pesos (US $10.9 billion).
Although the business sector is committed to an orderly, transparent and legal exercise in commerce, the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) encourages shoppers to shop at established stores, while advising buyers to limit online purchases to well-known sites and avoid offers on social networks.
Profeco will also be carrying out a nationwide operation to prevent abusive practices, false pricing and misleading advertising in order to ensure that offers are genuine.
Suppliers are legally obligated to honor advertised promotions and prices. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to 12 million pesos (US $655,000) for repeated offenses or fraudulent discounts.
The agency has tasked nearly 2,000 employees with surveillance duties and has set up 169 service modules and 337 mobile teams in major shopping centers and department stores.
Profeco is also providing consumers with immediate and free assistance through its ConciliaExprés and Concilianet services.
With reports from La Jornada, Record and El Economista
