In September, retail trade sales in Brazil recorded a positive change of 0.5% from the previous month, when they recorded a negative change of 0.2%. In 2024, trade had a cumulative increse of  4.8%. The quarterly moving average, after a change of -0.2% in August, changed by 0.3% in the quarter ended September. The cumulative index in 12 months stood at 3.9%, its 24th consecutive positive result. These data are found in the Monthly Survey of Trade (PMC), released today (12) by the IBGE. 

As for extended retail trade, which includes, besides retail, the activities of Vehicles, morotcycles, parts and pieces, Construction material and Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco, volume of sales increased by 1.8% from August to September. Against September 2023, there was an increase of 3.9%, sixth consecutive month of increase. The quarterly moving average of extended retail trade increased by 4.8% in the quarter ended September. 

Concerning the activities, four of the eight ones surveyed recorded positive results: Other personal and household articles (3.5%), Fuels and lubricants (2.3%), Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries (1.6%) and Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.3%). On the other hand, Furniture and household appliances (-2.9%), Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-1,8%), Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (-1.7%) and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery  (-0.9%) recorded drops.  

"Throughout 2024, the performance of hyper and supermarkets and pharmaceuticals supported retail. That was not different from August to September which reflects a given concentration of consumption in priority items, such as food products and beverages, Cristiano Santos, manager of the survey, explains. 

“However, in September, the sector that encompasses department stores had a more pronounced increase, of 3.5% in volume, on the marging. This increase came after a strong decrease in August, of 4.5%,” says Cristiano.           

Retail trade sles up by 2.1% from September 2023

Retail trade sales increased by 2.1% from September 2023. In September 2024, against the same month a year ago, four of the eight activities surveyed recorded positive changes: Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries (16.3%), Other personal and household articles (5.7%), Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (0.7%) and Hypermarket, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.6%). On the other hand, there were Books, newspapers, magazines and stationeries (-10.6%), Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-4.9%), Fuels and lubricants (-1.5%) and Furniture and household appliances (-0.4%).    

The group Pharmaceuticals, medical, orthopedic aricles and toletries (16.3%) recordedincrease for the 19th consecutive month (the last one to record a drop was February 2023: -0.5%). The sector also accounted for the main contribution to the formation of retail trade, amounting to 1.7 p.p. with a total 2.1%. “This is the strongest sector in 2024. The activity has recorded non-stop increase, except for the month of July. That places it as the main influence in the composition of the global rate,” says Cristiano.

The activity Other personal and household articles (5.7%), in turn, increased for the eighth time in a row. The activity accounted for the second time in a row, for the biggest contribution to the composition of retail trade, with 0.4 p.p. of a total of 2.1% in trade. The cumulaive indicators in the year (7.1%) and in the last 12 months (2.1%) has recorded a path o increase. “These results evidence the recovery of the sector after a period with a negative performance in 2023, with physical shops being closed, due to the accounting crisis of major companies of the sector,” says Cristiano.

With reference to extended retail trade, there was an increase of 3.9% in sales relative to September 2023, sixth consecutive month recording positive rates. The result is positive both in the year (4.5%) and in the last 12 months (3.8%). There were drops in two of the three complementary activities: Vehice, motorycles, parts and pieces (18.0%) and Construction material (9.4%). The only sector to present drop in sales was Wholesale trade of food products, beverages and tobacco (-9.1%).  

From August, 21 Federation Units recorded increase in sales 

When the results of September and August 2024 are compared, it is observed that 21 Federation Units recorded positive results, with a highlight to Espírito Santo (3.8%), Amazonas (3.3%) and Piauí (3.0%). Among the five Federation Units with negatie results, Amapá (-3.9%), Tocantins (-3.9%) and Mato Grosso (-2.5%) stood out. Minas Gerais recorded stability (0.0%).   

As for extended retail trade, there were positive results in 20 of the 27 Federation Units, being worth mentioning Paraná (20.5%), Espírito Santo (6.0%) and Maranhão (4.1%). Amapá (-3.7%), Tocantins (-2.8%) and Bahia (-1.6%), however, called attention for their negative results. 

Retail trade up by 4.0% in Q3 2024

Against the same quarter in 2023, retail trade recorded an increase of  4.0% in Q3 2024. So, the third quarter adds a point to the sequence of eight results in the positive field, in vlume, for this indicator. Five activities recorded drops in sales: Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic article and toiletries (16.1%), Other personal and household articles (6.0%), Furniture and household appliances (4.7%), Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (4.2%) and Hypermarkets and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (3.5%).   

With negative results: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery  (-8.0%), Fuels and lubricants (-3.5%) and Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-2.4%).

As for extended retail trade, the result was also positive (4.8% in Q3 2024 against the same quarter in 2023), also observed in Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (15.3%) and Construction material (8.2%). The sector of Whoselale trade of food, beverages and tobacco doropped by 6.8% in Q3 this year.

More about the survey 

APMC produces indicators to monitor the short-term behavior of retail trade in Brazil, investigating the gross revenue of formal enterprises with 20 or more employed persons and whose major activity is retail trade. Having started in 1995, the PMC brings monthly results of changes in sales volume and nominal revenue for retail trade and extended retail trade (cars and construction material) for Brazil and Federation Units.  Results can be accessed on Sidra. The next PMC release, with the results for October 2024, will be on December 12.