In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of sales of the retail trade changed -0.2% in May 2025 over April. The quarterly moving average stayed at 0.1%. Volume of sales of the retail grew 2.1% over May 2024. The cumulative index in the last 12 months stayed at 3.0%.

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, and construction material, volume of sales grew 0.3% in May. The moving average was 0.0%. It rose 1.1% over the same period in 2024. The cumulative index in 12 months was 2.4%.

In the seasonally-adjusted series, five out of eight activities of the retail trade recorded positive changes between April and May 2025: Office, computer and communication equipment and material (3.0%), Furniture and domestic appliances (2.0%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (1.7%), Fabric, apparel and footwear (1.1%) and Hyper and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.4%). Other articles of personal and domestic use (-2.1%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-2.0%) and Fuels and lubricants (-1.7%) remained on the negative side.

In the extended retail trade, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces grew 1.5%, while Construction material showed stability (0.0%) from April to May 2025.

Six out of eight activities had positive results compared to May 2024

Compared with the same month last year, six out of eight activities rose: Fabric, apparel and footwear (7.1%), Furniture and domestic appliances (7.0%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (5.5%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (4.7%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (2.5%) and Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.2%). Two sectors remained on the negative side: Fuels and lubricants (-0.6%) and Other personal and household articles (-0.4%). In the extended retail trade, Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces increased 1.5%, Construction material grew 4.7% and Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco dropped 5.1% between May 2024 and May 2025.

The sector of Fabric, apparel and footwear rose 7.1% in sales over May 2024, the 13th consecutive non-negative result (the last negative result was in April 2024: -3.7%). The inter-annual result was also the highest change among eight activities surveyed, as well as the fourth biggest contribution to the composition of the overall rate, adding up to 0.4 p.p. of the total of 2.1% of the retail. In the year, the sector accumulated gains of 5.4% up to May, a level above that accumulated up to April (4.9%). An increase in the growth intensity also occurred in the cumulative index over the last 12 months: 4.6% up to April to 5.0% up to May.

The activity of Furniture and domestic appliances grew 7.0% in sales over May 2024, the eighth consecutive rise in the inter-annual indicator (the result of -0.2% in September 2024 was the last negative one). Reversing the position with the activity of Fabric, apparel and footwear, previously described, Furniture and domestic appliances had the second highest change for the inter-annual indicator and the third biggest contribution, 0.5 p.p. to the overall indicator (2.1%). In relation to the cumulative index in the year, the growth level increased for the first time since February, changing from 4.4% up to April to 4.9% up to May. In the cumulative index over the last 12 months, the result up to May was 5.4%, the 23rd consecutive gain (June 2023 was the last loss: -1.3%).

The group of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries grew 5.5% in sales over May 2024, accounting for 27 consecutive months of positive figures. Moreover, the sector represented the biggest influence on the positive side, together with the sector of hypermarkets, both of them adding up to 0.6 p.p. in the total of 2.1% of the retail. In the year, the sector accumulated 3.7% up to May, a higher level than that accumulated up to April (3.2%), indicating an acceleration in the growth of the sector. In the last 12 months, the cumulative indicator up to May closed at 5.6%, the lowest level of the last three surveys (7.7% up to March and 9.0% up to April).

Volume of sales of Office, computer and communication equipment and material rose 4.7% over May 2024, the first positive rate for the sector after three months of drop (-3.8% in February, -2.1% in March and -5.4% in April). Despite the positive result in the inter-annual indicator, in the year, the sector showed losses for the fourth consecutive month: -1.0% up to February, -1.4% up to March, -2.4% up to April and -1.0% up to May. The inter-annual indicator retracted as well: -0.7% up to May 2025.

In May 2025, the activity of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery rose 2.5% over the same month a year ago, breaking a sequence of 12 consecutive drops (the last positive result had been in April 2024: 2.4%). As a result, the cumulative losses in the year reduced from -3.9% up to April to -2.9% up to May. In terms of the cumulative figure in the last 12 months, the scenario was also of losses: -5.6% up to May.

The sector of Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco grew 1.2% in sales over May 2024, the second increase in a row (7.3% in April). In May, the sector exerted the major positive influence on the pharmaceutical sector, contributing with 0.6 p.p. to the composition of the overall rate of 2.1% of the retail. Having changed from 2.0% up to April to 1.8% in the reference month, the cumulative index in the year up to May maintained the pace of gains in 2025. The pace decreased in terms of the cumulative figure over the last 12 months: from 3.4% up to April to 2.7% up to May.

Volume of sales of the activity of Fuels and lubricants fell 0.6% over May 2024, the second consecutive month with a negative figure: -1.8% in April. May's sectoral result was also the only negative influence on the inter-annual indicator, totaling -0.1 p.p to the total composition of 2.1% of the rate. In the year, until May, the sector accumulated gains of 0.4%, less intense than until April (0.7%). However, in terms of the cumulative result in the last 12 months, the scenario is of losses: -1.1% until April to -0.8% until May.

The group of Other personal and domestic articles, which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores, etc., showed a change of -0.4% in sales compared to May 2024. The sector came from a period of high volatility in the inter-annual indicator, changing from -6.3% in March to 10.9% in April, followed by a result near stability in May. Regarding the cumulative index in the year up to May, from 2.7% up to April to 2.1% in the reference month, the activity showed a decrease in the pace of gains. The results of the cumulative index in the last 12 months, in turn, record decreasing gains: from 6.0% up to April to 4.8% until May.

In the extended retail trade, the group of vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces, compared to the same month of the previous year, showed a rise for the first time after two months of drops: -2.5% in March, -7.1% in April and 1.5% in May. The result equaled the sector to others in terms of influence for the inter-annual indicator, accounting for 0.3 p.p. to the total of 1.1% of all the 11 activities. Regarding the cumulative index in the year, the level of gains remained at 1.8% until May, the same as in April. The cumulative index in the last 12 months showed a higher variation in the pace of gains in the last two months: 7.6% until April and 6.9% until May.

The activity of Construction material grew 4.7% compared to May 2024, the first increase after -2.7% in April. In the indicator of the last 12 months, only April, mentioned earlier, recorded losses. In the year, the result was 4.0% until May, the same level as that accumulated until April (3.8%). In the cumulative index in the last 12 months, the sector stepped up the growth pace: 5.2% until April to 5.7% until May.

In the case of Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco, the comparison with the same month of the previous year was negative for the tenth consecutive month, and the last points were: -3.7% compared to March; -2.4% in April; and -5.1% in May. The sector was also the only one to contribute negatively to the formation of the overall rate, contributing with -0.7 p.p. to the total of 1.1% of all companies in the eleven sectors. In the year, the sector accumulated losses of 5.7% until May, a similar result to the accumulated until April (-5.8%). In the accumulated of the last 12 months, the sector maintained the level of losses: -7.4% until April to -7.2% in May 2025. 

Retail trade had negative rates in 20 out of 27 Federation Units

Between April and May 2025, in the seasonally-adjusted series, the national average rate of retail trade sales was -0.2%, with negative results in 20 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighting: Tocantins (-3.5%), Rio Grande do Norte (-2.3%) and Santa Catarina (-1.8%). On the other hand, six out of 27 Federation Units registered positive changes, highlighting: Roraima (1.1%), Rio de Janeiro (0.9%) and Sergipe (0.7%). Amapá registered stability (0.0%) from April to May.

For the same comparison, in the extended retail trade, the change between April and May 2025 was 0.3%, with negative results in 16 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighting: Tocantins (-3.5%), Santa Catarina (-2.1%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-1.6%). On the other hand, 10 out of 27 Federation Units were pressuring positively, especially Amazonas (2.1%), Alagoas (1.3%) and Rio de Janeiro (1.2%). Rio Grande do Sul remained stable (0.0%) for this indicator.

Compared with May 2024, 22 out of 27 Federation Units recorded positive figures, highlighting: Paraíba (9.1%), Alagoas (6.7%) and Espírito Santo (6.5%). On the negative side were five Federation Units, especially Tocantins (-5.5%), Rio de Janeiro
(-0.9%) and Maranhão (-0.2%).

In the extended retail trade, the change between May 2025 and May 2024 showed a 1.1%growth, with positive results in 20 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighting: Rio Grande do Sul (11.1%), Mato Grosso (7.4%) and Paraíba (6.1%). In contrast, seven out of 7 das 27 Federation Units were pressing negatively, highlighting Goiás (-7.9%), Tocantins (-2.5%) and Maranhão (-1.4%).