The retail trade remained stable and registered 0.0% between May and June. The quarterly moving average was -0.3% in the second quarter of 2023 and the cumulative index in the first semester of 2023 rose 1.3% in relation to the same period in 2022. In the cumulative indicator in the last 12 months, the sector recorded the ninth consecutive month on the positive side, reaching 0.9%. In the comparison between June 2022 and June 2023, volume of sales in trade rose 1.3%. The data are from the Monthly Survey of Trade (PMC), released today (9) by the IBGE.

Cristiano Santos, manager of the survey, explains that the performance in the semester has lost pace after January. “The first semester rose mainly due to the growth concentrated in January, when it registered 4.1%. After January, the results became timid, with changes closer to 0%,” reminds him.

Four activities closed the first semester up. One of the major responsible for the growth in sales in the retail trade was the sector of fuels and lubricants. That activity accumulates a gain of 14.5% in the first six months of 2023 in relation to the same period in 2022, with a growth of 21.1% in the last 12 months. “The expanding scenario is due to the change in the price policy last year, and continued this year,” justifies Santos.

Another important activity that positively pressed the result of the retail trade in the first semester was Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco. That sector accumulates a growth of 2.6% in the year in June, highlighted by the April´s result, when it recorded a rise of 3.6%. According to the researcher, this scenario is still quite contrary to the perspective of consumption in the retail. “Especially in relation to credit and interest rate,” highlights him.

The other activities that rose in the semester were the sectors of Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, and toiletries (2.2%) and of Furniture and household appliances (1.0%).

On the side of the activities that retracted sales up to June 2023, Other articles of personal and domestic use stood out, accumulating a drop of 13.7%. That sector comprises department, optical, jewel, sports and toy stores, among others, an area that major chains have been facing accounting crises and, thus, closing stores.

The other activities that closed the semester down are Other articles of personal and domestic use (-13.7%); Fabric, apparel and footwear (-9.0%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-1.7%); and Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-0.7%).

Extended retail trade rises 1.2% in June and closes semester with a growth of 4%

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and construction material, volume of sales rose 1.2% over May. Compared with June 2022, the growth was of 8.3%, closing the first semester with an expansion of 4.0%. The cumulative index over the last 12 months increased 1.1%.

Among the activities, Wholesale specialized in food products, beverages and tobacco influenced the growth in the semester and closed it with a rise of 8.3%. Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories also rose (5.4%), whereas the sector of Construction material retreated 3.6% in the cumulative index in the year up to June.

In the inter-annual comparison, sales rise 1.3%

In the comparison between June 2023 and June 2022, the retail trade advanced 1.3%, with four activities rising: Fuels and lubricants (9.9%), Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries (3.8%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (3.1%) and Furniture and household appliances (2.6%).

Other articles of personal and domestic use (-14.9%); Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-8.9%); Fabric, apparel and footwear (-6.3%); and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-3.5%) were the sectors that dropped.

In the extended retail trade, the growth was of 8.3% over June 2022, with two out of three complementary activities rising: Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories (17.9%) and Wholesale specialized in food products, beverages and tobacco (21.2%). On the other hand, Construction material fell 2.7%.

Sales advance in 22 Federation Units between May and June

In the regional analysis, the retail trade reported positive figures in  22 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Alagoas (2.7%), Acre (2.6%) and Paraíba (2.2%). Among the four FUs that retreated, the major ones were Minas Gerais (-1.3%), Tocantins (-0.9%) and Pernambuco (-0.9%).

In the extended retail trade, 25 out of 27 FUs increased, highlighted by Maranhão (7.6%), Alagoas (6.7%) and Bahia (6.6%). The negative rates were registered in Tocantins (-1.1%) and Pernambuco (-1.8%).

More about the survey

PMC 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. The results are available on Sidra. The next release of the Monthly Survey of Trade will be on September 15.