Informal trade and deterioration of the human landscape of a market in Peru.

Abstract

The research aimed to diagnose the state of informal commerce and its relationship to the deterioration of the human landscape in the Chacra a la Olla market in the city of Chimbote in 2025. It was conducted using a quantitative, basic, and non-experimental cross-sectional design. Questionnaires were administered to 90 vendors and users, validated by expert judgment using Aiken's V coefficient (1.0), which confirmed their validity. Reliability was determined using SPSS software, yielding a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88, demonstrating high internal consistency. Observation sheets were also used to record the physical, social, and functional conditions of the public space. The results revealed a significant and uncontrolled presence of the informal sector, which affects spatial organization, cleanliness, and safety. High levels were diagnosed: 86% informal occupation, 74% physical deterioration, and 72% negative impact on the perception of space, confirming the need for strategies to organize and revitalize the human landscape. In conclusion, the study shows that inadequate management of informal trade significantly deteriorates the quality and functionality of the human landscape.