In September, the retail trade of the country changed 0.6% for the volume of sales, reversing the negative trend of the previous month (-0.4%), and 1.1% for the nominal revenue in comparison with August (eighteenth consecutive month of growth in that type of comparison), considering the seasonally adjusted series. In the other comparisons (seasonally adjusted series), retail trade recorded, as to the volume of sales, change rates of 5.3% against September of the previous year; 7.0% in the accumulated index in 2011 over the same period of 2010; and 7.7% in the accumulated indicator of the last 12 months. The nominal revenue rose by 11.1%, 12.1% and 12.8%, respectively. The complete publication of the survey can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/.

Among activities, seven present positive changes

In the seasonally adjusted series, seven of the ten activities grew in September: pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles (2.2%); vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories (1.7%); fabric, apparel and footwear (1.6%); furniture and domestic appliances (1.6%); construction material (0.8%); hiper-, super-markets, food, beverages and tobacco (0.2%); and other articles of personal and household use (0.1%).

The negative results came from office, computer and communication equipment and material (-5.0%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-2.5%); and fuels and lubricants (-1.1%).

In the September 2011/ September 2010 comparison, two sectors recorded contraction: fuels and lubricants (-1.2%) and other articles of personal and household use (-0.1%).

The other activities recorded positive changes, as follows in decreasing order: 16.5% for furniture and domestic appliances; 10.6% for pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles; 7.7% for office, computer and communication equipment and material; 6.5% for construction material; 3.6% for vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories; 3.5% for hiper-, super-markets, food, beverages and tobacco; 0.6% for fabric, apparel and footwear; and 0.6% for books, newspapers, magazines and stationery.

Furniture and domestic appliances, with a growth of 16.5% in the volume of sales over September of 2010, was the main responsible for the positive performance of the retail trade and extended retail trade, with contributions of 53.3% and 34.7% on the respective rates. In accumulated terms, the sector registered a rise of 17.9% for the first nine months of the year, over the same period of 2010, and for the last 12 months. This positive result, higher than the average result of the sector, is attributable to the permanence of credit in a high level; to the reduction of the prices of electric-electronic appliances; and to the positive trend of the employed population’s volume of incomes.

The sector of hyper, supermarkets, food, beverages and tobacco, despite its result below the average (3.5% in the comparison of September with the same month a year ago), was responsible for 32% and 21% of the retail and extended retail rates, respectively. In accumulated terms, the activity grew 3.9% as to the nine first months of the year and 4.5% in the last 12 months.

This performance is mainly driven by the growth in the volume of income and by the programs of income transfer. The inflation of food products (9.0% in 12 months) is due to the establishment of an accumulated rate for the sector of slightly more than a half of the rate of retail trade.

The activity of pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles, with an advance of 10.6% over September of 2010, was the third highest contribution to the overall retail trade (12%) and the fourth to the extended retail trade (8%). In the accumulated indicators of the first nine months of the year and of the last 12 months, the changes in the volume of sales reached 10.5% and 10.9%, respectively. Credit, income, increase in the consumption of continuous-use medicines and diversification in the product line are the main contributors for the sequence of rates above the overall average in the last four years.

Extended retail trade grew 0.9%

Concerning the extended retail trade, the growth of 0.9% in the volume of sales over the previous month interrupts the downward trend in the last two months; whereas nominal revenue, with a rise of 1.3% over August, recovers from the drop of last month. The extended retail volume of sales recorded rates of 4.8% over September a year ago; 8.0% in the accumulated indicator between January and September; and 9.6% in the accumulated indicator in 12 months. For the same indicators, nominal revenue recorded rates of 8.1%, 11.0% and 12.6%, respectively. 

As for the extended retail trade, growth was registered in 22 of the 27 states. The highest performance rates in the volume of sales occurred in Tocantins (11.0%), Ceará (11.0%), Rondônia (8.6%), Paraíba (8.4%) and Santa Catarina (7.5%).

However, in terms of impact on the overall result of the sector, the highlights were São Paulo (4.4%), Minas Gerais (6.5%), Paraná (7.4%), Rio de Janeiro (4.7%) and Santa Catarina (7.5%).

In comparison with September of 2010, 22 of the 27 Federation Units recorded positive results

In the September 2011 / September 2010 comparison, 22 states recorded growth in the volume of sales, three registered negative changes, and two presented null rate.

The highlights were Tocantins (14.6%); Ceará (9.7%); Paraíba (7.8%); Minas Gerais (7.4%) and Rondônia (7.3%). Drops happened in Amazonas (-1.4%), Sergipe (-1.2%) and Amapá (-0.2%). Concerning the contribution to the rate, the highlights were São Paulo (5.0%), Minas Gerais (7.4%), Rio de Janeiro (5.2%), Paraná (7,3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (4.5%). Considering the results (seasonally adjusted) over the previous month , a reduction in the volume of sales in 15 states and an expansion in 12 states can be observed. The highest negative rates occurred in Amazonas (-2.5%), Acre (-2.0%), Tocantins (-1.6%) and Mato Grosso (-1.5%). The states with the highest growths were Ceará (2.8%), Roraima (2.7%), Paraíba (1.7%) and Maranhão (1.3%).

Retail Trade decelerates between the second and the third quarters

Between the second and third quarters, there was a deceleration in the pace of growth for the retail volume of sales, which contracted from 7.8% to 6.2%.

As for the extended retail trade, the growth level changed from 11.4% to 5.8%. The declines in the growth rates of the retail trade in the third quarter hit nine of the ten activities surveyed. The sharpest reduction came from vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories (from 18.0% to 4.9%), followed by fabric, apparel and footwear (from 6.3% to 1.0%); construction material (from 11.7% to 6.5%); other articles of personal and household use (from 6.0% to 1.5%); office, computer and communication equipment and material (from 20.3% to 16.4%); books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (from 7.6% to 4.2%); pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetic and toilet articles (from 11.8% to 10.2%); hiper-, super-markets, food, beverages and tobacco (from 5.1% to 4.0%); and furniture and domestic appliances (from 18.7% to 18.1%). The only increase was registered by fuels and lubricants from 0.1% to 0.4%.