The seasonally-adjusted retail sales changed -0.9% in volume of sales and -0.4% in nominal revenue, both in relation to the previous month. This was the second consecutive negative rate for volume of sales. Nominal revenue became negative again, after registering two positive months. Concerning the quarterly moving average index, volume of sales changed -0.4%, whereas nominal revenue increased 0.4%. In the other comparisons, obtained from the unadjusted original series, the national retail recorded, as to volume of sales, increases of 0.4% against March of the previous year. In terms of cumulative indexes, the changes were -0.8% in the quarter and 1.0% in the last 12 months. For the same indicators, nominal revenue of sales recorded change rates of 6.5%, 5.5% and 7.3%, respectively.

The extended retail - which also includes the activities of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, and of construction material - continued to record a negative variation over the previous month in the seasonally-adjusted series. The rate was -1.6% for volume of sales and -1.5% for nominal revenue. In relation to the same month a year ago, volume of sales changed -0.7% and nominal revenue, 5.1%. Concerning the cumulative rates, the figures were -5.3% in the year and -3.4% in the last 12 months, for volume of sales, and 0.5% and 2.3% for nominal revenue, respectively.

The complete publication of the survey can be accessed on page www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

Seven of ten activities surveyed change negatively

In the seasonally-adjusted series, seven out of the ten activities surveyed registered negative figures for volume of sales in the third month of the year in relation to the previous month. The negative rates were reported in office, computer and communication material and equipment (-0.2%); construction material (-0.3%); fabric, apparel and footwear (-1.4%); hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.2%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-2.3%); furniture and household appliances (-3.0%); and vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (-4.6%). The activities that recorded positive figures were fuels and lubricants (2.8%); other personal and household articles (1.2%) and pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (1.2%).

Concerning volume of sales, three out of the eight activities of the retail trade posted positive changes when comparing March 2015 with March 2014 in the seasonally-unadjusted series: other personal and household articles (17.4%); pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (10.2%); and office, computer and communication material and equipment (21.8%). The activities that exerted negative impact on the composition of the retail figure were hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.4%); furniture and household appliances (-6.8%); fuels and lubricants (-2.1%); and fabric, apparel and footwear (-1.2%). By changing -5.9%, the trade of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery virtually exerted no influence on the overall figure.

The activity of other articles of personal and domestic use - which encompasses department, jewelry, sport articles and toy stores - exerted the highest impact over the retail rate of volume of sales in relation to March 2014. This figure reflected the calendar effect, since Carnival took place in March last year and in February this year, leaving three business days more in March 2015. The cumulative change for the first three months of the year was 8.3%, and for the last 12 months, 8.1%. This positive figure was also influenced by the low unit value of most products traded in this activity and which represented a high volume of sales.    

By registering the second positive participation, pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries recorded a rate of 10.2% in the March 2015/March 2014 relation, as well as a cumulative rate in the year and in the last 12 months of 5.7% and 7.4%, respectively. The favorable performance of this sector could be especially attributed to the essential nature of its products and to the variation of medicine prices below the official inflation (IPCA).

By changing -2.4% in volume of sales in March 2015 over the same month a year before, the segment of hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco was the main negative contribution. In terms of cumulative results, this activity changed -1.3% in the year and 0.4% in the last 12 months. Although food at home prices rose below the overall average, such negative performance was influenced by the reduced purchasing power of the population.

By rising 21.8% in volume of sales over March 2014, the sales of office, computer and communication material and equipment posted the third highest positive contribution. The cumulative figures - variation of 16.9% in the year and of 2.3% in the last 12 months - could be explained by the behavior of computer prices, an important product of this activity.

By changing -6.8% in volume of sales over March last year, the activity of furniture and household appliances registered the second highest negative impact on the rate. The cumulative rate in the year and in the last 12 months were: -6.7% and -2.5%, respectively. Such behavior could be attributed to the gradual reduction of incentives - reduction of the Tax on Manufactured Products, IPI - directed to white goods and to the reduced pace of credit.

By changing -2.1% in volume of sales over March 2014, the segment of fuels and lubricants accounted for the third highest negative contribution to the retail rate. The cumulative growth rate in the quarter (-4.0%) and in the last 12 months (-0.3%) reflected the rise of fuel prices above the average: 10.0% in 12 months against 8.1% of the overall index, according to the IPCA.

Extended retail falls 0.7% compared with March 2014

The extended retail trade - comprising retail plus the activities of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, and construction material - changed -0.7% in volume of sales in the March 2015/March 2014 relation. It also recorded -5.3% in the cumulative rate in the year and -3.4% in 12 months. This behavior was due to the negative performance of vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, whose inter-annual result was -3.7%, posting a cumulative rate of -14.8% in the year and of -11.9% in 12 months. Even counting with three more business days in March 2015, the reduced sales in this segment was due, among other factors, to the gradual reduction of incentives, like the reduction of IPI; to the reduced pace of credit and to the restrictive budget of families, as a result of the deceleration of the real wage bill. In terms of volume of sales, construction material changed 2.8% compared with March 2014. This positive figure was influenced by the higher number of business days in March. As to the cumulative figures, the rates were -4.4% in the year and -2.7% in the last 12 months, reflecting the negative expectations about the macroeconomic picture.

Retail figures positive in 13 of 27 Federation Units

In the retail trade, 13 out of the 27 Federation Units registered positive figures in volume of sales when comparing March 2015 with the same month a year ago in the seasonally-unadjusted series. The highlights were Roraima (22.5%); Acre (13.6%); Sergipe (7.4%) and Rondônia (6.5%). Rio de Janeiro (4.2%); Santa Catarina (3.3%); and Paraná (2.4%) stood out in terms of the highest positive contributions. As to the highest negative impacts, the figures were: -8.3% in Mato Grosso; -0.4% in São Paulo; and -6.7% in Goiás.

Comparing March 2015 with the previous month in the seasonally-adjusted series, the retail trade for volume of sales were negative in 16 states. The highlights were Amazonas (-3.3%); Rio de Janeiro (-3.1%); Pernambuco (-2.9%); and Paraíba (-2.5%). The highest positive rates were recorded in Pará (2.2%); Roraima (1.4%); Acre (1.2%) and Santa Catarina (1.2%).

Concerning the extended retail trade, 16 states posted positive figure in terms of volume of sales when compared with the same period a year ago. The highlights were Roraima (12.4%); Acre (10.1%); Sergipe (7.6%); and Rio Grande do Norte (7.1%). The states with the highest positive figure were Rio de Janeiro (2.9%); Minas Gerais (3.3%); and Ceará (2.9%). Nevertheless, the negative contributions of three states to the retail rate influenced the overall negative figure (-0.7%). They were: São Paulo (-3.1%); Santa Catarina (-3.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-2.1%).

Retail sales change -1.7% in Q1 2015

By changing from 1.7% to -1.7% in the seasonally-adjusted series, the retail trade decreased the volume of sales in the first quarter of 2015 in relation to the previous quarter. The same happened in the extended retail (2.6% to -4.0%).

Seven out of the ten activities surveyed registered negative rates in volume of sales: vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (-9.8%); furniture and household appliances (-5.6%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-4.0%); fuels and lubricants (-3.8%); fabric, apparel and footwear (-3.4%); construction material (-1.9%); and hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-1.1%). The activities that recorded positive figures were office, computer and communication material and equipment (8.9%); other personal and household articles (1.1%); and pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, toiletries and cosmetics (0.6%).

Comparing the first quarter of 2015 with the same period in the previous year, the retail trade posted a rate of -0.8%, below that of the fourth quarter of 2014 (1.2%). This movement was also followed by fuels and lubricants, which changed from 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to -4.0% in the first three months of 2015. The activities that remained negative and underperformed in relation to the last quarter of 2014 were hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (from -0.2% to -1.3%); fabric, apparel and footwear (from -1.0% to -3.0%); and furniture and household appliances (from -1.2% to -6.7%). Two activities remained positive and increased their performance in the first quarter of 2015: office, computer and communication material and equipment (from 4.6% to 16.9%); and other personal and household articles (from 7.9% to 8.3%). The trade of pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles, and toiletries remained positive, yet decreasing its pace of growth and changing from 7.9% to 5.7%. The activity of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery remained registering a negative rate in the first quarter of 2015, yet reducing the pace of fall from -9.3% to -7.8%.

In the extended retail, volume of sales in the first quarter of 2015 changed -5.3% compared with the same period last year, below the rate of the fourth quarter of 2014 (-2.3%). This movement also happened in vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, which changed from -9.8% to -14.8%, and in construction material, which recorded a rate of -4.4% in the first quarter of 2015 against -0.6% in the last quarter of 2014.