In March, the retail trade of the country recorded a growth of 0.2% in the volume of sales and 0.3% in the nominal revenue, compared with the previous month in the seasonally adjusted series.  Concerning both the volume of sales and the revenue, the results were higher than the previous month’s rates. In the other comparisons, obtained from the unadjusted original series, the national retail recorded, as to the volume of sales, increases of 12.5% against March of the previous year, 10.3% in the quarterly accumulated index and of 7.5% in the accumulated of the last 12 months. For the same indicators, the nominal revenue of sales recorded change rates of 15.4%, 13.9% and 12.1%, respectively. The complete publication of the survey can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

Among ten activities, six present negative changes

In March, six of the ten surveyed activities registered negative results for the volume of sales, seasonally adjusted (month/month indicator).  The results were:  Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (2.3%); Furniture and domestic appliances (1.2%); Fabric, apparel and footwear (0.8%); Construction material (0.3%); Fuels and lubricants (0.3%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (-0.6%); Hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.6%); Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories (-1.4%) and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-7.1%).

In the March12/March11 relation (adjusted series), all retail activities recorded positive changes in the volume of sales.  The results, by order of importance as to the overall result, were: 12.2% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food, beverages and tobacco; 21.2% for Furniture and domestic appliances; 14.1% for Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics; 30.5% for Office, computer and communication equipment and material; 9.8% for Other articles of personal and household use; 5.0% for Fuels and lubricants; 4.1% for Fabric, apparel and footwear; and 4.4% for Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery.

Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with a change of 12.2% in the volume of sales in March against the same month a year ago, is still the main contributor to the overall retail rate (46%).  In the accumulated indexes, the rate for the first three months of the year was 11.3%, and for the last 12 months, 6.1%.

Furniture and house appliances, with a change of 21.2% in the volume of sales in relation to March last year, registered the second highest impact in the formation of the retail rate (30%).  In the quarterly accumulated analysis, the rate was of 15.9% and in the last 12 months, of 16.4%.

Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics, with a change of 14.1% in the comparison with March 2011, was the third highest contribution to the retail overall rate.   The accumulated rates in the quarter and in the last 12 months were 10.8% and 10.0%, respectively.

Office, computer and communication material and equipment, responsible for the fourth highest impact on the overall rate, had a gain of 30.5% in the volume of sales, in March, over the same month last year. The rate accumulated in the year was of 32.2%, and in the last 12 months, of 24.8%.

Extended retail trade grows 0.6% in March

The extended retail trade, comprising the retail trade plus the activities of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories and construction material, recorded a change of 0.6%, in relation to the previous month (with seasonal adjustment), both for the volume of sales and for the nominal revenue.  Compared with the same month a year ago (seasonally unadjusted), the changes were of 10.2% for the volume of sales and of 12.0% for the nominal revenue. In the indicators accumulated in the year and in the last 12 months, the sector presented a change of 7.3% and 6.7% for the volume of sales and 9.4% and 9.2% for the nominal revenue, respectively.

As to the volume of sales, vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories recorded a change of -1.4% in relation to February – the third negative result of the year. Comparing with March a year ago, the change was of 5.4%. In terms of accumulated indexes, the changes were of 1.0% in the quarter and of 4.8% in the last 12 months.

Positive results in all states in the comparison with March 2011

All the twenty seven federation units registered positive results in the comparison with March 2011, in relation to the volume of sales. The highlights were: Roraima (24.8%); Tocantins (22.4%); Amapá (21.9%); Mato Grosso do Sul (19.1%) and Paraná (18.3%). As to contribution to the formation of the retail trade rate, the highlights were, by order of importance: São Paulo (12.9%); Minas Gerais (12.9%); Rio Grande do Sul (16.6%); Paraná (18.3%) and Rio de Janeiro (8.3%).

Conversely, in relation to the extended retail, only Espírito Santo presented a negative result, with a change of -1.9%. The highest performance rates in the volume of sales occurred in Tocantins (21.7%); Paraíba (19.0%); Minas Gerais (14.7%); Pernambuco (14.5%) and Pará (14.3%). In terms of impact on the sector’s overall result, the highlights were São Paulo (12.0%); Minas Gerais (14.7%); Rio de Janeiro (7.8%); Paraná (11.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (9.5%).

Concerning the volume of sales, the seasonally adjusted results point to 16 states with positive results on a month/previous month comparison. The highest changes were: Acre (3.7%); Espírito Santo (2.1%); Pará (1.6%); Amazonas (1.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (1.3%).