‘Covid Friday’ Shopping Frenzy Triggered by Colombia VAT Holiday

  • Shoppers flock to malls after three months of lockdowns
  • Day without 19% value added tax intended to revive economy

People wearing protective masks gather at an electronics store in Bogota, Colombia, on June 19.

Photographer: Nathalia Angarita/Bloomberg

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Shoppers flocked to Colombian shopping malls Friday to take advantage of a day without value added tax.

The measure triggered Black Friday-style shopping frenzies in retail outlets, which reopened in the capital Bogota this week after three months of lockdowns to curb the coronavirus pandemic.