In 2016, the 1.546 million trade enterprises in Brazil generated a net operating revenue of R$3.3 trillion, paid R$214.8 billion in salaries, withdrawals and other compensation and employed 10 million persons, in 1.685 million local units.

The activity hypermarkets and supermarkets grew in participation in the trade's ranking of net operating revenue, increasing from 9.4% in 2007 to 12.4% in 2016, and going from the third to the first position. In turn, the activity motor vehicles left the second place (11.0%) in 2007, to the sixth position in 2016 (6.0%). The wholesale trade of fuels and lubricants, which was in the first position in 2007 (13.5%), fell to the second place in 2016 (11.2%).

In real terms, from 2015 to 2016, the net revenue of the activity motor vehicles fell 9.6%. The activity of hypermarkets and supermarkets had a drop of 1.5% between 2015 and 2016.

Since the beginning of the new time series, in 2007, the biggest parcel of the net operating revenue came from the wholesale sector (45.3% in 2016), however, the retail sector grew in participation and reached 45.1% in 2016. The sector of motor vehicles, pieces and motorcycles, in turn, lost participation, falling from 15.4%in 2007 to 9.6% in 2016.

The wholesale sector prevailed with the biggest share in 2016 in value added (54.3%), employed persons (74.1%) and wage bill (64.6%). In regional terms, the Southeast maintained the major share in the main trade variables in 2016: with 49.6% of the local units, 51.8% of the employed persons, 51.3% of the gross revenue of resale and 55.7% of the wage bill. The Region also recorded the highest average monthly salary (2.1 minimum wages).

These data are from the IBGE´s Annual Survey of Trade of 2016, which investigated the productive structure of the commercial enterprises in Brazil, assessing productivity, interest margin of trade, salaries, withdrawals and other compensation, and employed persons, among other variables. The material of the survey can be accessed on the right of this page.

Sector of motor vehicles loses participation in revenue

In 2016, the 1.546 million trade enterprises in Brazil generated a net operating revenue of R$3.3 trillion, paid R$214.8 billion in salaries, withdrawals and other compensation and employed 10 million persons, in 1.685 million local units.

In relation to 2007, when the new series of the Annual Survey of Trade started, the participation of the sector of motor vehicles, parts and motorcycles in the net operating revenue fell from 15.4% to 9.6%. The retail sector, in turn, presented the highest gain in the period, moving from 39.8% to 45.1%, catching up with the wholesale sector, which had 44.8% of the revenue in 2007 and 45.3% in 2016.

The participation of the retail trade also grew in the other variables, accounting for more than half (54.3%) of the value added (difference between the gross value of production and the intermediate consumption) in 2016, for 77.9% of the number of enterprises, for 74.1% of the employed persons, 64.6% of the wage bill and 55.0% of the trade margin (return of the sale effort after the discount of the sale costs). The sector of motor vehicles, parts and motorcycles, in turn, lost participation in most variables, except in number of enterprises, which went from 9.4% to 9.5% between 2007 and 2016. 

Trade of vehicles down from 2nd to 6th position in activity ranking

Between 2007 an 2016, the sector of hypermarkets and supermarkets increased from the third to the first position in the net operating revenue participation ranking of trade activities, going from 9.4% to 12.4%.

The wholesale enterprises of fuels and lubricants (distributors), which were in the first position in 2007 with 13.5% of contribution, fell to the second place in 2016 (11.2%). In turn, the retail enterprises of fuels and lubricants (gas stations), although losing participation from 8.1% to 7.9%, remained in the fourth position in both surveyed years.

The wholesale trade of food products, beverages and tobacco also went up, from the fifth (6.6%) in 2007 to the third position (8.9%) in 2016. Whereas the trade of motor vehicles left the second position (11.0%) in 2007 to the sixth position in 2016 (6.0%).

The ranking of participation of the activities was influenced by the unfavorable macroeconomic context, with the increase of activities of essential character and decrease of activities which depend on greater family income, funding and interest rate.

Net revenue of motor vehicles falls 9.6% in real terms

In real terms, from 2015 to 2016, the net revenue of the activity motor vehicles fell 9.6%, after having fallen 13.8% between 2014 and 2015 and 4.3% between 2013 and 2014. In the 2007-2016 period, the activity grew 45.2% in net operating revenue.

The activity hypermarkets and supermarkets had a decrease of 1.5% between 2015 and 2016, a decrease of 0.9% between 2014 and 2015, but it grew 11.7% between 2013 and 2014, accumulating, in the 2007-2016 period a growth of 81.4%.

The wholesale activity of fuels and lubricants registered, in the 2007-2016 period, a growth of 60.7% in revenue, with gains of 4.7% between 2015 and 2016, 6.1% from 2014 to 2015  and 11.1% from 2013 to 2014.

Hyper and supermarkets have, on average, 104 employed persons by enterprise

In 2016, the sector of hypermarkets and supermarkets had, on average, 104 employed persons by enterprise, the greatest average among all the activities and quite above the general average of 6 employees by enterprise.

The wholesale activity of fuels and lubricants recorded the biggest monthly average salary (5.7 minimum wages) and the highest productivity in work: each employed person added, on average, R$378.7 thousand to the goods and services consumed in the productive process of those enterprises.

The wholesale sector recorded the highest trade margin of the whole sector (38.4%) –i. e., which got the highest return from the effort of the sale of goods, after discounting the cost with the sale of its products.

In the activities of trade of vehicles and pieces, the resale enterprises of motor vehicles presented the highest average of employed persons (10), of monthly average salary (3.0 minimum wages) and productivity (R$80.4 thousand), values above the national average.

Wholesale trade of fuels is the most concentrated commercial activity

Analyzing the concentration ratio of the 12 commercial activities, i. e., the analysis of the 12 biggest enterprises of each activity in relation to the participation in the net resale revenue, trade was deconcentrated (11.6%). The wholesale enterprises of fuel and lubricants recorded R12 of 71.2% in 2016 and were the only ones considered concentrated. The segment of vehicles, pieces and motorcycles posted deconcentration, since the R12 result was 5.7%.

The lower the R12 result, the lower the concentration level of the enterprises in the activity. If the 12 biggest enterprises hold together up to 25% of the market, they are considered deconcentrated; if the participation stands between 25% and 50% they are low concentrated markets; those in which the participation ranges between 50% and 75% are concentrated; and when the participation is above 75% they are highly concentrated markets.

Southeast keeps leadership in revenue, salaries, units and employed persons

In 2016, the Southeast prevailed in the main trade variables, with 49.6% of the local units, 51.8% of the employed persons, 51.3% of the gross revenue of resale and 55.7% of the wage bill. The Region also recorded the highest average monthly salary (2.1 minimum wages).

In the Southeast, São Paulo concentrated 61.8% of the gross revenue of resale of the region. Paraná was the major representative of the South Region, with 38.3%. In the Northeast, the distribution is less concentrated and Bahia had the highest percentage, 26.4%. In the Central-West Region, two states stand out with very close shares: Goiás (33.0%) and Mato Grosso (32.5%). In the North Region, which holds the biggest revenue percentage of the country, Pará concentrated 37.9%.