In this era fraught with uncertainty, an economic chill is sweeping across the globe, casting a shadow of gloom over the lives of countless workers. Once bustling markets now lie desolate and quiet, and industries that were once thriving are now struggling to move forward. In such a depressed macro environment, our lives have become exceedingly challenging.

However, several industries are particularly hard hit. From the small eateries on every street corner to the shiny car showrooms, from the muddy pig farms to the dazzling beauty counters, every sector is undergoing unprecedented trials. This is not just about numbers and statistics; it is about the bitter tears of countless ordinary people.

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The current situation in these six industries is dire, facing layoffs and pay cuts. The poor macro environment has led to reduced incomes, making it difficult to find a glimmer of hope in the depressed market conditions. Or perhaps the industry leaders have monopolized the vast majority of the income, leaving the grassroots practitioners gasping for breath.I. The Desolation in the Kitchen

Once bustling with life, the food street is now desolate and quiet, with signs reading "Closed for Good" being more common than "New Store Opening."

According to industry data, the number of restaurants that went out of business last year more than doubled, reaching as high as 1.26 million.

Even those stores that are barely hanging on are facing unprecedented challenges.

Moreover, the catering industry has been hit hard in previous years, adding to the desolation of the sector.

Now, many consumers, in an effort to save money, are choosing to cook at home, which has significantly reduced the frequency of dining out.

This has led restaurants to resort to price cuts to attract customers, even introducing ultra-low pricing strategies such as "ten-yuan meal deals."

However, this price war will only lead the entire industry into a deeper quagmire. The "franchise" business model that has become popular in recent years has also had an impact on this situation.The total number of stores began to expand, leading to uneven management across each location, and poorly managed franchised stores began to close down.

What's even more heartbreaking is that the income of many restaurant owners after a year of hard work is not even as much as the salary of an average employee.

The real beneficiaries, however, are the landlords and second-hand equipment dealers, who have made substantial profits in this industry reshuffling.

Under the depressed market conditions, catering industry workers have thus become the victims.

II. Fading Makeup Palettes

In the depressed market environment, people's wallets are tightening, and even beauty consumption is no longer extravagant. Once popular beauty brands are falling into difficulty, with sales continuing to decline.

Taking a leading beauty industry brand as an example, this former beauty retail giant closed 343 stores last year, with a 6% drop in sales.

This is not just an isolated case; the entire industry is experiencing similar challenges.

To cope with this situation, many mid-to-high-end beauty brands have had to lower their stance and introduce affordable product lines, trying to enter more consumers' homes.However, this strategy has also brought new problems: how to maintain brand premium while reducing prices? How to get a share in the fiercely competitive mid-to-low-end market?

These are all difficult issues facing beauty companies.

Moreover, in the low-end market, low prices are often a more valued feature for many consumers, and whether these beauty brands can successfully enter the market has also become a question.

The consumption level in the mid-end market has decreased, and it is difficult to enter the low-end market, and the beauty industry seems to be stuck in a quagmire, not knowing how to break through.

Consumers' purchasing behavior has also changed significantly. More people choose online shopping, pursuing cost-effectiveness rather than brands, which further exacerbates the operational difficulties of physical beauty stores.

III. The dilemma of the engine stalling

In recent years, the degree of internal competition in the automotive industry is astonishing. Traditional fuel vehicle companies, in order to clear inventory, do not hesitate to significantly reduce prices, and some even drop to close to the cost price of the car.

New energy vehicle companies, on the other hand, are fighting for market share by continuously improving configurations and reducing prices. This smokeless price war has made the entire industry unable to catch its breath.To make matters worse, some mobile phone manufacturers have also announced their entry into the automotive industry. Their strong supply chain management and marketing capabilities are causing sleepless nights for traditional car companies.

Industry experts predict that this year will see a group of less competitive car manufacturers being eliminated.

These mobile phone companies have already won the favor of many users through their mobile products, and they also have the capability to manufacture cars under their own brands.

Their cars will be highly compatible with mobile systems, leading to a better driving experience.

The market downturn has also made the wallets of workers thinner, and it seems that the demand for mid-to-high-end cars is gradually decreasing.

Nowadays, mid-to-low-end new energy vehicles are ubiquitous on the roads, which must also be a headache for traditional car companies.

At the same time, the living space for traditional 4S stores has been greatly compressed. With the rise of direct sales models and the emergence of new energy vehicles, many 4S stores have had to transform or close down.

The once bustling car show centers are now desolate, a sight that evokes a sense of pity.IV. The Lamenting Swans in the Pigpens

The dire situation in the livestock industry is truly heart-wrenching. This year, the price of pork has plummeted to rock bottom, even reaching the extraordinary phenomenon of "cabbage prices."

This has not only caused small-scale breeders to complain bitterly, but even the once dominant industry giants have not been able to escape their fate.

Taking the shares of a certain livestock enterprise as an example, its market value has evaporated by over hundreds of billions of yuan, which can be described as an epic level of shrinkage.

Another company, on the other hand, suffered losses of tens of billions of yuan in the first three quarters of last year. Behind these numbers are the sweat and tears of countless breeders.

These small and medium-sized breeders, after enduring hardships to raise pigs, find themselves in great difficulty due to the drop in pork prices.

Although the low price of pork is relatively favorable for consumers, it is a disaster for breeders.

In previous years, the shortage of pork supply led everyone to expand production capacity. Now, many breeders have a large number of pigs in their pens, and the drop in pork prices has caused them endless complaints.

What is even more worrying is that this downturn seems to have no end in sight.Due to substantial investments in expanding production capacity in the early stages, there is now a severe overcapacity, and it will take a considerable amount of time to restore the balance between supply and demand.

V. The Winter of the Housing Market

Once upon a time, "buying a house is buying the future" was a mantra for many people. However, in 2024, this belief seems to be being mercilessly shattered by reality.

Whether it's luxury homes in first-tier cities or ordinary residences in fourth or fifth-tier cities, prices are continuously falling, and the transaction volume is even more dismal.

Once, buying a house was an investment, but the current housing market has lost its value as an investment.

A real estate agent in a certain city once wrote on his social platform: "In the past, I could sell more than ten houses in a month; now, it's considered good if I can sell three or four in a month."

What makes him even more desperate is that even with price reductions, it's difficult to attract buyers.

The current state of China's real estate market is not simply caused by an economic downturn; there are many other reasons behind the scenes.In an effort to boost the real estate market, the government has introduced a series of supportive policies, even resorting to multiple interest rate cuts. However, these measures seem to have had little effect.

Some economists have pointed out that the problems in the real estate industry can no longer be resolved by simple policies; instead, a restructuring of the entire economic system is required.

Therefore, for those working in the real estate sector, the road ahead is likely to remain extremely challenging.

VI. The Pinnacle of the Head Effect

In the context of a sluggish economy, live-streaming sales seem to have become a "lifeline" in the eyes of many. However, the ruthlessness of this industry far exceeds the imagination of most people.

Top anchors continue to enjoy unlimited glory, often creating sales of hundreds of millions. Behind these dazzling numbers, however, lies the bitterness of tens of thousands of little-known small anchors.

Small anchors themselves have very few followers, so they need to strive to get more attention from fans, and only on this basis can they increase their income.

But in today's internet environment, many people are powerless to gain followers. Despite making many efforts, the live-streaming career still seems bleak.Internal data from a certain MCN agency shows that 95% of their streamers earn less than 3000 yuan per month, while the top 1% of streamers account for more than 80% of the total income.

This extreme Matthew effect leaves the vast majority of new streamers without hope.

What's more worrying is that as major platforms continue to tilt their resources towards top streamers, this trend of polarization seems to be intensifying.

For ordinary people, it is as difficult as climbing to the sky to stand out in the live-streaming e-commerce industry.

In conclusion:

In this era when the economic downturn is sweeping the globe, we have witnessed the difficult situation of multiple industries.

From the depression of the catering industry to the fading of the beauty industry, from the involution of the automobile market to the predicament of the livestock industry.

And then to the winter of the real estate industry and the polarization of live-streaming e-commerce, every industry is facing unprecedented challenges. The difficulties of these industries are not just cold data, but also a true portrayal of the lives of countless ordinary people.

Layoffs and pay cuts have become measures that many companies have to take, which directly affects the livelihood of millions of families. However, in the darkness, we still need to keep hope. The cyclical nature of the economy determines that the winter will eventually pass, and spring will always come.In this challenging period, it is even more crucial for us to enhance our skills and strengthen our risk resilience to prepare for future opportunities.

For those who have not yet entered these troubled industries, it may be considered fortunate. However, this does not mean that they can rest on their laurels.

In this rapidly changing era, only by continuously learning and keeping pace with the times can we remain invincible in future competition. Let us look forward to the economic recovery and create a better tomorrow for ourselves, our families, and society.

Whether or not you are in these "worst-hit" industries, remember: after every harsh winter, a splendid spring will follow.