The retail trade of the country recorded in September, in relation to the previous month (seasonally adjusted), rates of 0.5% for the volume of sales and of 0.8% for the nominal revenue. For the volume of sales, it is the seventh consecutive positive result, whereas the nominal revenue keeps growing since June 2012. As to the moving average, the volume of sales changed 1.2 %, while the revenue registered a rise of 1.4%. In the other comparisons, obtained from the unadjusted original series, the retail trade records, as to the volume of sales, increases of 4.1% against September of the previous year and rates of 3.9% and 4.8% in the cumulative indicator of the first nine months of the year and of the last 12 months, respectively.  For the same indicators, the nominal revenue of sales recorded change rates of 10.6%, 11,7% and 12,0%, respectively.  The complete publication of the survey can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

 Seven activities post positive changes

Seven out of the ten activities surveyed increased their volume of sales in September compared with the immediately previous month: other articles of personal and domestic use (2.4%); pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (1.3%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (0.9%); construction material (0.8%); fuels and lubricants (0.8%); hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.6%); and fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (0.0%). The negative results came from furniture and household appliances (-0.2%); office, computer and communication equipment and material (-0.7%); and vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (-5.1%).

Compared with September 2012, all the eight retail segments recorded an increase in their volume of sales: other articles of personal and domestic use (14.8%); furniture and household appliances (7.6%); pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (11.9%); fuels and lubricants (4.2%); hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.7%); office, computer and communication equipment and material (16.5%); fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (0.4%); and books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (0.3%).

Retail rises in 22 states

Twenty-two out of the 27 Federation Units posted a positive change in the comparison September 2013 against September 2012. In terms of growth rate, the highlights were: Alagoas (10.6%); Tocantins (10.3%); Rio Grande do Norte (9.7%); Maranhão (9.5%) and Pernambuco (9.4%). Concerning the contribution to the rate of the overall retail trade, the highlights were São Paulo (4.7%); Rio de Janeiro (5.4%); Paraná (7.3%); Pernambuco (9.4%) and Bahia (3.0%).

As to the extended retail, 23 Federation Units registered a rise. The highest rates in terms of volume of sales were in Acre (16.7%), Rio Grande do Sul (12.5%); Rio Grande do Norte (12.0%); Paraná (11.9%) and Pernambuco (11.6%). Concerning the positive contribution to the overall result of the sector, the highlights were São Paulo (6.8%); Rio de Janeiro (11.1%); Rio Grande do Sul (12.5%); Paraná (11.9%) and Santa Catarina (7.8%).

Considering the seasonally adjusted figures over the previous month , 17 Federation Units expanded the volume of sales. The highest positive rates were in Tocantins (1.8%); Rio Grande do Norte (1.6%); Maranhão (1.6%); Mato Grosso do Sul (1.4) and Pernambuco (1.2%). The highlights in terms of negative rates were Sergipe (-5.7%); Roraima (-2.2%); Espírito Santo (-1.6%) and Alagoas (-1.4%).

Retail grows 3.2% in the third quarter

Taking into account the seasonally adjusted data, the comparison between the third and second quarters of 2013 pointed out to the acceleration of the retail sales. The rate changed from 0.8% to 3.2%, whereas the extended retail rate decreased from 1.0% to 0.2%. Seven out of the 10 activities recorded a higher figure than that of the previous quarter: hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (from -0.8% to 3.1%); fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (from -1.3% to 2.5%); furniture and household appliances (from 2.3% to 4.2%); office, computer and communication equipment and material (from -5.3% to 7.4%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (from -1.5% to 0.8%); other articles of personal and domestic use (from 1.1% to 3.8%); and construction material (from -0.4% to 1.5%). The other activities posted a drop in relation to the second quarter: fuels and lubricants (from 5.2% to 0.3%); pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, and toiletries (from 4.7% to 2.6%) and vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (from 0.1% to -4.8%).

The retail trade grew 5.5% in the third quarter of 2013 over the same period of 2012, positioning above the change in the second quarter of the year (2.6%). Six activities registered a rise in the comparison between the second and third quarters of 2013: hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (from  -1.2% to 3.0%); fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (from 2.2% to 3.5%); furniture and household appliances (from 6.0% to 8.8%); pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, and toiletries (from 9.8% to 11.1%); office, computer and communication equipment and material (from 3.8% to 10.8%) and other articles of personal and domestic use (from 7.4% to 11.6%). The other activities dropped in the same comparison: books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (from 3.1% to -0.2%) and fuels and lubricants (from 8.5% to 5.8%);

In the extended retail trade, the change in volume of sales in the third quarter was of 3.2%, lower than that of the second quarter (3.6%). It was also influenced by the figures of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, which decreased from 4.2% to -1.8%, and of construction material, which changed from 8.6% to 8.1%.

The activity of other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses segments like department stores, optical stores, jewelry stores, sport articles stores, toy stores, etc., posted a change of 14.8% in their volume of sales in September over the same month last year. This activity was the main contributor to the overall retail rate, accounting for 33.0% of its composition. This behavior was explained by the increased volume of income and by the credit facilities. As to the cumulative indicators, the changes were of 10.3% in the period from January to September, and of 11.1% in the last 12 months.

By rising 7.6% in volume of sales in relation to September last year, the activity of furniture and household appliances exerted the second highest impact in the formation of the retail rate, with a contribution of 21%.  In cumulative terms, the sector registered an expansion of approximately 5.5% for the first nine months of the year over the same period of 2012, and of 6.7% for the last 12 months.

By expanding volume of sales by 11.9% over September 2012, the activity of pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles, and toiletries was the third highest contribution to the overall retail trade (19%).  In the cumulative indicators of the first nine months of the year and of the last 12 months, the changes reached 9.5% and 9.3%, respectively. The main factors that contributed to this figure were the growth of the real payroll, the credit supply and the essential nature of such products.

The sector of hypermarket, supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco recorded a change of 0.7% in volume of sales in September over the same month a year ago, the fifth biggest contributor to the overall retail rate (8.0%). This activity still continued to underperform, due to the behavior of food prices, which rose above the overall index along the last 12 months: 9.7% for food at home, against 5.9% for the overall inflation, according to IPCA. This activity rose 1.2% in the first nine months of the year and 2.8% in the last 12 months.

Extended retail drops 0.7%

The extended retail trade, comprising the retail trade plus the activities of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and of construction material, recorded a drop of 0.7% in volume of sales, while nominal revenue remained stable, both rates seasonally adjusted and in relation to the previous month.  Compared with the same month a year ago (seasonally unadjusted), the changes were of 7.5% for volume of sales and of 12.7% for nominal revenue. As to volume of sales, the cumulative index in the year was 3.6% and, in the last 12 months, 4.9%. Nominal revenue changed 8.7% and 9.2%, respectively.

As to volume of sales, the activity of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces registered a drop of 5.1% over August. Comparing with September a year ago, the change was of 13.9%. This figure could be explained by the base effect, once this activity fell 9.5% in September 2012. In the end of May 2012, the federal government started to stimulate the acquisition of cars by reducing the IPI, which was mainly reflected in the months of June, July and August. At that time, August 31, 2012 was supposed to be the deadline of that policy. However, the federal administration announced on August 29 that it would be postponed to October 31, 2012, reducing the demand in September 2012.  In terms of cumulative indexes, the changes were as follows: 2.0% in the first nine months and 4.4% in the last 12 months.

As to the sector of construction material, the changes in volume of sales were of 0.8% over the previous month and of 10.1% over September 2012. In terms of cumulative indexes, the changes were as follows: 7.3% in the first nine months and 7.6% in the last 12 months. It is worth mentioning that the tax incentives like the reduction of the IPI, scheduled to be in effect until December, remained leveraging the performance of this sector.