The sector of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with a change of -2.2% in the volume of sales in August over the same month a year ago, exerted the highest negative impact in the formation of the overall retail rate. This result confirmed the downward trend of the segment, shown in the 19th drop in a row in this comparison, accumulating, for the first eight months of the year and over 12 months, a loss of 3.0%. The performance of this activity was influenced by the decrease in the real income of workers, coupled with the increased prices of food at home measured by the IPCA.

The segment of Fuels and lubricants, with a -10.0% change in the volume of sales in relation to August 2015, also represented the highest negative contribution to the total retail result. In relation to the cumulative rates, in eight months of the year, the result was -9.9% and in the last 12 months, -10.1%. The price growth in the group of fuels, increasing above the overall average, contributed to these results. Other contributors were the downturn of the economic activity and the decreased income from work.

The activity of Other personal and household articles, which encompasses department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, sporting goods stores and toy stores, etc, exerted the third negative influence in the formation of the retail rate, with a change of -10.8% in the volume of sales in relation to the same period of 2015. It was the 13th negative consecutive result. In the cumulative analysis, the rates were: 12.0% in the first eight months of the year, and of 10.2% for the last 12 months.

The activity of Furniture and household appliances accounted for the second biggest negative participation in the general index, with a drop of 9.3% in the volume of sales in relation to August last year. It was the 21st negative rate in this comparison. In the cumulative analysis, the rates were: -13.6% in the year and -15.0% for the last 12 months. This negative behavior comes from: credit restrictions, mainly due to the high level of the interest rate for credit to individuals and to the already mentioned reduction in the real income.

The segment of Fabric, apparel and footwear, which recorded a change of -10.4% in the volume of sales in comparison with August in the previous year, accounted for the third biggest negative contribution to the overall retail rate.  In relation to the cumulative rates, the results were of -11.4% for the first eight months of the year and of -11.5% for the last 12. Even with the prices of the main items in the activity changing below the general inflation, the sector presented a below-the-average performance, following the current trends.

Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries, which registered a fall of 3.8% in the volume of sales in relation to August 2015, accumulated rates of -0.7% in the year and -0.2% in the last 12 months. Even considering the essential nature of the products, the high prices of pharmaceuticals and the decreasing real income are the main reasons for the negative behavior of this segment.

The activity of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery, with a drop of 15.1% in the volume of sales in August 2015, recorded the 31st consecutive negative rate in this comparison. In terms of cumulative rates, the changes in the eight months of the year and in the last 12 months were -16.8% and -16.0%, respectively. The declining trend of this activity, particularly for books and newspapers, has been influenced by the replacement of print by digital publishing. 

The segment of Office, computer and communication equipment and material recorded a change of -9.0% over the same month a year ago - the 14th consecutive fall. The appreciation of the US dollar against the real and the credit restriction were among the factors that had been determining the negative performance. For longer periods, the rates were: -15.1% in the first eight months of the year and -14.8% in the last 12 months.

In August 2016, the extended retail trade registered a fall of 7.7% compared with the same month a year ago. This performance reflects, above all, the behavior of sales of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces,which presented decrease of 13.1% over August 2015. The cumulative results of this activity were of -14.7% in eight months and -17.7% in the last 12 months. These changes were influenced by the downturn of the economic activity, by the rise of the interest rate for individuals and by the tight family budget.

As to the activity of construction material, the changes for the volume of sales were of -7.0% in relation to August 2015. In the cumulative analysis, the rates were: -12.2% in eight months of the year and -12.7% in the last 12 months. The downturn of the economic activity and restrictions in the credit operations are factors that are responsible for the reduction in the volume if sales of the extended retail trade

Volume of sales down in 23 of the 27 Federation Units

In the retail trade, in the seasonally-adjusted series, 23 out of the 27 Federation Units registered negative changes for volume of sales over the previous month. In terms of the magnitude of the drops, the highlights were: Acre (-4.2%) e Amazonas (-3.3%), whereas Paraíba (1.8%), Rio de Janeiro (0.9%), Rondônia (0.7%) and Tocantins (0.4%) registered advance in sales over July 2016.

In the comparison with August 2015, the reduction of the volume of sales in the retail was quite widespread, reaching 25 of the 27 Federation Units. In terms of the magnitude of the rate, the highlights were: Amapá (-19.4%) and Pará (-14.6%).  As to the contribution to the retail trade rate, the highlights with the highest influence were São Paulo (2.9%) and Rio de Janeiro (-7.8%).

As to the extended retail trade, all the states, except for Roraima (3.0%) and Paraíba (0.0%), registered negative changes for the volume of sales in the comparison with the same period of the previous year, with a highlight in terms of influence in the global result to São Paulo (-6.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (-12.5%).