Retail trade in the country started 2010 with increases of 2.7% in volume of Sales and 3.0% in nominal revenue, compared to December results (seasonally adjusted figures). In other comparisons, obtained from original series (without adjustment), retail trade in the country recorded, in terms of volume of sales, increases of about 10.4% in over January figures in the previous year and of 6.2% accumulated in the last 12 months. For the same indicators, nominal revenue of sales presented change rates of 12.3% and 10.1%, respectively.

In January, the 10 activities surveyed presented positive results for seasonally adjusted volume of sales: Furniture and household articles (+7.9%); Office, computer and communication material and equipment (+5.8%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (+3.2%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (+2.5%); Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics (+2.0%); Construction material (+1.9%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (+1.4%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (+0.8%); Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (+0.7%) and Fuels and lubricants (0.0%).

In the comparison January 2010/ January 2009 (series without adjustment) the results were also positive for all the activities. In order of relevance to the overall result, figures were: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (+10.2%); Furniture and household appliances  (+17.7%); Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles and cosmetics  (+10.3%); Office, computer and communication material and equipment (+32.2%); Other articles of personal and domestic use (+6.0%); Fuels and lubricants (+4.8%); Textiles, apparel and footwear (+2.3%) and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (+7,0%).

RESULTSBY SUBSECTOR

The subsector of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco started 2010 with a result close to the average – change of +10.2% in volume of sales (January 2010/January 2009), being responsible for the main contribution (47%) of the overall retail trade rate. This performance was caused by the increase of the population’s purchasing power, as a consequence of the higher real income earned by salaried workers (+5.3% compared to January 2009 and +29.1% compared to December 2009, according to the Monthly Survey of Trade – PME). Concerning the increase above the national average, the most common explanation lies in the stability of food prices in year 2009 (1.4% from Feb 2009 to Jan 2010, according to IPCA, for the group Feeding in the household). In terms of the index accumulated in the last 12 months, the increase was 8.6%.

The activity Furniture and household articles, with rise of 17.7% in volume of sales in relation to January last year, accounted for the second biggest impact  (30.0%) to the formation of the performance rate of Retail Trade. The result is seen as a result of early purchases due to the reduction of taxes over “white type” products, such as refrigerators and washing machines 01/31/2010), besides a bigger credit offer. Considering the figure accumulated in the year, the subsector grew 3.1%.  

The activity Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles, with the third biggest participation on the overall retail trade rate, increased  +10.3% in comparison with January 2009. The rate accumulated in the last 12 months was +11.9%. The increase close to the average occurred to the expansion of salary volume and the relevance of products traded.

The subsector Office, computer and communication material and equipment,  which represented the fourth biggest impact on the overall retail trade rate, increased 32.2% in terms of volume of sales, in the comparison  January 2010/ January 2009. The rate accumulated in the last 12 months was +11.8%. It was the activity with the biggest change in this edition of PMC. Such performance was affected by the fall of prices of products of this category (-7% and 1.0% in the last 12 months for the items personal computers and mobile telephones, respectively, according to IPCA), by the growing relevance of computer and communication items in consumption habits and by the credit supply of economy.

The activity Other articles of personal and domestic use, with the fifth major impact on the retail trade rate, changed by +6.0% in volume of sales compared to the figure in January 2009. Encompassing subsectors such as department stores, glasses shops, jewelry shops, Sporting goods stores and toy stores, this activity was affected by the overall recovery scenario of economy. The rate accumulated in the last 12 months was 8.5%.

Fuels and lubricants, with positive change of 4.8% in volume of Sales, in the comparison January 2010/ January 2009, accounted for the sixth major contribution to the overall rate. The change in the last 12 months was 0.9%. This performance resulted from the rise of fuel alcohol prices (change of 12.5% in the last 12 months – sub-item Alcohol under the Alcohol heading of IPCA).

The activity Textiles, apparel and footwear changed by +2.3% in relation to January 2009 and by –2.3% in the last 12 months. This result can be seen as a consequence of price rises throughout 2009 (+6.4% in the group Apparel, for the last 12 months, according to IPCA).

The activity Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles had increase of 7.0% and, due to its reduced relevance in the structure of retail trade, hardly affected the overall result. The rate accumulated in the last 12 months was +7.8%. These results are a consequence of the rise of salary volume.

Extended Retail Trade, which includes retail trade and the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material, increased 10.3% in terms of volume of Sales and 11.6% in nominal revenue in relation to January 2009. In terms of the index accumulated in the last 12 months, the sector had rates of  +7.4% and +8.2% for volume and nominal revenue of sales, respectively.

Considering volume of sales, had increase of 10.3% in relation to January 2009. The reduction of IPI tax for new cars, scheduled to end in March 2010, was the main factor accounting for the growth of this activity. In terms of figures accumulated in the last 12 months, there was positive change of  11.9%.

As for Construction material, there were changes of +9.5% (January 2010/January 2009) and –5.0% (accumulated in 12 months). The third consecutive rise may signal the recovery of this subsector, once there were negative results in the first ten months of 2009. The rise of trust in economy’s recovery, and the reduction of IPI tax for a list of given construction items account for this performance.

RESULTS BY AREA

All the 27 Federation Units had positive rates in the January 2010/January 2009 comparison, especially Mato Grosso (+18.2%); Acre (+17.9%); Amapá (+17,1%); Goiás (+15.4%) and Ceará (+13.2%). In terms of participation inn  the composition of the Retail Trade rate, the highlights were São Paulo (+11.7%); Rio de Janeiro (+7.5%); Minas Gerais (+10.3%); Paraná (+10.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (+8.7%).

In extended retail trade, the 27 Federation Units had increase of rates, especially Rondônia (+21.1%); Tocantins (+19.1%); Ceará (+16.0%); Espírito Santo (+15.5%) e Mato Grosso (+13.5%). The major impacts on the result came from São Paulo (+10.4%); Minas Gerais (+12.2%); Rio de Janeiro (+8.0%); Rio Grande do Sul (+10.2%); Paraná (+10,2%) and Bahia (+13,2%). Seasonally adjusted results for volume of Sales were also positive. The major increments were those of Maranhão (+10.8%); Mato Grosso do Sul (+7.0%); Amazonas (+7.0%); Amapá (+4.4%) and Pará (+4.0%).