The volume of retail sales in the country grew 1.1% in February, compared to the previous month (2.1%), the second consecutive increase. As a result, the sector is 1.2% above the pre-pandemic level, and 4.9% below the peak of the series (October 2020). In the year, the retail accumulated a change of -0.1%. In the last 12 months, it grew 1.7%. The data are from the Monthly Survey of Trade (PMC), released today (April 13) by the IBGE.

Six of the eight activities surveyed had positive rates in February. Although the sector of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery grew 42.8%, the main impacts came from fuels and lubricants (5.3%), furniture and household appliances (2.3%), textiles, apparel and footwear (2.1%).

According to the survey manager, Cristiano Santos, the activity of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery has, over time, been decreasing. The big bookstore chains alone can serve as an example. It is an activity that has been losing importance in retail because the large marketplaces, which sell books online, are not included in this category.

“What kept the activity going was the textbook market, which was greatly affected by the pandemic with online teaching and the migration of printed to digital material. At the beginning of this year there was a resumption mainly related to the large contracts for textbooks. This advance, however, was not enough to recover the previous levels, since some didactic activities continue online”, explains Mr. Santos.

Thus, the main contributions to the result of retail in February came from fuels and lubricants (5.3%), furniture and household appliances (2.3%), fabrics, apparel and footwear (2.1%).

“In the case of fabrics, apparel and footwear, growth followed a 4.0% rise in January. The activity did not have a very good Christmas, with a drop of 5.6% in December. But in January, companies made very strong sales campaigns lasting until February and contributed to this result. Conversely, furniture and household appliances, which since June of last year had no rise, managed to grow again with the sales season in the companies. In the case of fuels, for the first time in the last 12 months, there is not such a clear inflationary pressure for this activity”, details the PMC manager.

In February, other personal and domestic articles also increased (1.6%) and hyper and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.4%). It is worth mentioning that sales volume indicators have been impacted by food inflation. Conversely, the sales volume of pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic items and toiletries retreated 5.6% compared to January, after three highs in a row. The sector of office, computer and communication material and equipment remained stable (0.0%).

In the extended retail trade, the growth of 2.0% in sales volume, in February, was influenced by the positive rate of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (5.2%). Construction material had a negative change of -0.4%.

Six of the eight activities had positive rates in the YoY comparison

Retail trade increased 1.3% in February, compared to the same month of 2021. Six of the eight activities investigated had positive rates: books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (18.5%), pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic items and toiletries (9.4%), fabrics, clothing and footwear (8.0%), hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (2.0%), other personal and domestic articles (1.0% ) and fuels and lubricants (0.1%).

Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-7.2%) and furniture and household appliances (-12.6%) registered declines.

Considering the extended retail trade, for the same comparison, vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces registered an increase of 1.4% and construction material registered a decrease of 8.0%.

Mr. Santos also notes that retail trade is 1.2% above the pre-pandemic level. The activities that make up the general index of the sector, however, present different behaviors. Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery, for example, are 38.7% below the pre-pandemic level, while pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic items and toiletries are 21.9% above that level.

Sales grow in almost all Federation Units

In comparison with January, the volume of retail sales was positive in 26 of the 27 Federation Units, especially Amapá (8.0%), Rondônia (8.0%) and Acre (5.9%). Only Tocantins had a negative result (-3.7%).

Compared to February 2021, retail had positive results in 18 Federation Units, mainly Amazonas (21.5%), Roraima (17.8%) and Acre (16.5%). With negative results, there are nine Federation Units, among which are Pernambuco (-7.7%), Sergipe (-7.0%) and Piauí (-5.0%).

More about the survey

The Monthly Survey of Trade (PMC) produces indicators that allow monitoring the short-term behavior of the retail trade in the country, investigating the gross revenue of resale in companies formally constituted, with 20 or more employed persons, and whose main activity is the retail trade.

Started in 1995, the survey brings monthly results of the volume change and nominal sales revenue for the retail trade and extended retail trade, which includes cars and construction materials, with data for Brazil and its Federation Units. The results can be consulted on Sidra Database.