In March 2013, Retail Trade in the country recorded decrease of -0.1% in volume of sales and increase of 0.8% in nominal revenue, being both figures seasonally-adjusted results over the previous month. In terms of volume and revenue of sales, the results surpassed those of the previous month. With reference to the quarterly moving average, volume of sales did not record change (0.0%), whereas nominal revenue increased 0.9%. The original (unadjusted) series, show that the national retail volume of sales increased 4.5% over the figure of March 2012, 3.5% was cumulative in the year and 6.8%, cumulative in the last 12 months. Considering the same indicators, nominal revenue of sales had rates of 13.5%, 11.3% and 11.7%, respectively (Tables 1 and 2).

Extended Retail Trade (retail and the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces) recorded, in relation to the previous month (with seasonal adjustment), increases of 0.2% for volume of sales and of 0.4% for nominal revenue. Over March 2012 (unadjusted series), changes were 3.0% for volume of sales and 8.1% for nominal revenue of sales.  Cumulative figures in the year and in the last 12 months reflect increase of 3.8% and 7.2% for volume of sales and o 8.0% and 9.1% for nominal revenue of sales, respectively. More detailed information is available at  

https://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/comercio/pmc/ .

In this third month of the year, six of the ten activities surveyed had positive results for seasonally-adjusted volume of sales (month-on-month indicator).  In order of rate magnitude, the results were: Textiles, apparel and footwear (3.9%); Fuels and lubricants (2.4%); Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (1.9%); Furniture and household appliances (0.7%); Construction material (0.7%); Other articles for personal and domestic use (0.7%); Pharmaceutical and medical articles and toiletries (-1.9%); Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.1%); Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-2.9%) and Office, computer and communication material and equipment (Table 1).

Compared to results of March 2012 (unadjusted series), two of the eight retail activities recorded decrease in volume of sales. In order of importance to the overall result, the recorded changes were: 4.0% for Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco; 14.9% for Other articles for personal and domestic use; 5.9% for Textiles, Apparel and footwear; 3.6% for Fuels and lubricants; 4.7% for Pharmaceutical and medical articles and toiletries; 3.9% in Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery; -2.2% for Office, computer and communication equipment and material and Furniture and household appliances, with -0.8%.

RESULTS BY SECTOR

The segment of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with change of 4.0% in volume of sales in March, over the figure a year ago, remains as the main contribution to the overall retail trade rate (47% - Table 3). In the beginning of this year, the prices of activities increased significantly above average, in general terms¹. However, the performance of this activity was benefited by the celebration of Easter's in March, since in 2012 it was celebrated in April. In terms of cumulative results, the rate for the first six months of the year was 1.8% and for the last 12 months, 6.1%.  

The activity Other articles for personal and domestic use, the second main impact on the retail trade rate (31%) recorded increase of 14.9% in volume of sales over March 2012. This segment includes, among other sectors, department stores, the sales of which increased due to the Eater's holiday. For the first quarter, the cumulative change was 11.8% and for the last 12 months, 9.9%.  

With the third most significant impact on the formation of the overall retail trade rate (10%), the segment of Textiles, apparel and footwear recorded, in March, increase of 5.9% in volume of sales over March 2012, and cumulative rates in the year and in the last 12 months, of 4.0% and 4.1%, respectively. It is worth mentioning that March marked the launching of the fall-winter collection, leading, as a consequence, to a sell-off period for the previous collection.  

The segment of Fuels and lubricants, with increase of 3.6% in volume of sales over March 2012, represented, this month, the fourth major contribution to the overall retail trade rate (8%). This behavior is seen as a result of the moderate rise of fuel prices (5.1% of the item fuels in the cumulative index of the last 12 months, versus 6.6% of the general index, according to IPCA).  Cumulative rates reached 3.9% in the year and 7.1% in the last 12 months.  

Office, computer and communication material and equipment, which accounted for the first negative impact on the overall rate, recorded, in March, change of -2.2% in volume of sales over Mach 2012, and cumulative rates of 3.6% in the year, and of 1.8% in the last 12 months. Even without rise among products of this group (0.14% in the last 12 months for the item desktop computer, in IPCA) and despite the growing relevance of computing and communication in the consumption habits of families, demand seem to have been more stable in the last few months.  

The activity Furniture and household appliances, with decrease of -0.8% in volume of sales in relation to March last year, accounted for the main negative impact on the retail trade rate. Some of the reasons for this result are the rise of prices in this sector (2),  resulting from the current governmental policy of replacement of the IPI tax rate over furniture and white appliances, taking the tax back to its original level in June 2013. The rise of the tax rate in February probably had some effect in March, due to the stocks available. Considering the cumulative index in the year, the rate was 1.5% and in the last 12 months, 8.6%.

In Extended Retail, Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces recorded its first hike in the year:  1,9%

The volume of sales of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces recorded increase of 1.9% over the February figure, being the first positive result of the year in this type of comparison. In relation to March of the previous year, there was increase of 1.2%. The cumulative changes were 4.0% in the quarter and 8.0% in the last 12 months. The behavior of this segment reseults from the government IPI policy, with prices which remain low (-3.2% in the subitem new cars versus 6.6% of the average inflation, according to the IPCA).

Considering Construction material, changes in volume of sales were 0.7% over the previous month, -0.1% in relation to March 2012 and 5.0% and 6.1% cumulative in the quarter and in the last 12 months, respectively.   

Volume of sales increased in 25 of the 27 Federation Units  

Among the twenty seven Federation Units, 25 registered positive results in the March 2013/ March 2012 comparison, with reference to volume of sales. The highlights were: Mato Grosso do Sul (12.3%); Rio Grande do Norte (10.7%); Paraíba (10.6%); Rondônia (9.1%) and Roraima (7.8%) – Graph 5. As for participation in the composition of Retail Trade rate, the highlights, in order, were: São Paulo (4.8%); Rio de Janeiro (7.2%); Ro Grande do Sul (5.9%); Paraná (5.5%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (12.3%).

As for extended retail, twenty two Federation Units recorded positive changes. The highest performance rates in terms of volume of sales were those of Rio Grande do Norte (13.2%); Mato Grosso do Sul (11.2%); Acre (11.2%); Rondônia (9.9%) and Goiás (9.1%). In terms of influence on the overall result of the sector, the highlights were the states of São Paulo (3.2%); Rio de Janeiro (5.9%); Paraná (7.3%); Rio Grande do Sul (6.0%) and Goiás (9.1%).

Also by Federation Unit, the seasonally adjusted results, for volume of sales, show twenty states with positive results in the month on month comparison. The biggest changes were registered by: Piauí (3.4%); Paraíba (2.5%); Sergipe (2.5%); Pernambuco (2.4%) and Roraima (2.2%).

QUARTERLY RESULTS

In quarterly terms, figures point to a worsening in the pace of increase of sales volume of Retail Trade, with decrease of the rate from 7.3% to 3.5% from the fourth quarter of 2012 to the first one of 2013. In terms of Extended Retail Trade, there was also worsening, since, in the same period, the change rate fell from 8.6% to 3.8% (Table 4, in the annex).

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¹ Change of 15.2% in the last 12 months for the group Meals at home, versus a General Price Index of 6.6%, according to IBGE's IPCA.

² Change in the last 12 months for the items: electronic appliances (0.5%) and furniture (5.6%), accordig to IBGE's IPCA.