In April 2021, the sales volume of the national retail trade increased by 1.8%, compared to March, in the seasonally adjusted series, after falling by 1.1% in March. The quarterly moving average increased by 0.4%, compared to the quarter ended in March (-0.2%). In the non-adjusted series, the retail trade increased by 23.8% compared to April 2020, the second consecutive positive rate. The cumulative rate in the year reached 4.5%. The cumulative index in the last 12 months was 3.6%.

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and construction material, the sales volume increased by 3.8% compared to March (-5.0%). There was an increase of 41.0% compared to April 2020. The moving average for the quarter reached 0.7%, the cumulative index in the year went to 9.2% and the cumulative index in 12 months, to 3.5%.

Seven of the eight activities advanced in the seasonally-adjusted series

The increase of 1.8% in the volume of retail sales in April 2021, in the seasonally-adjusted series, was followed by positive rates in seven of the eight activities, especially Furniture and household appliances (24.8%), Textiles , apparel and footwear (13.8%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (10.2%), Other personal and households articles (6.7%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (3 .8%), Fuels and lubricants (3.4%), and Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic, perfumery and cosmetic articles (0.9%). The only negative rate came from Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-1.7%).

In the extended retail trade, the increase in sales volume in April, in the seasonally-adjusted series, was influenced by the sectors of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (20.3%) and Construction material (10.4%), after decreases of 19.8% and 10.2%, respectively, in March.

Seven of the eight retail activities had positive rates compared to April 2020

In comparison with April 2020, retail trade grew 23.8%, with positive rates in seven of the eight activities. The main contributions came from Other personal and household articles (104.4%), a historical record for the activity, contributing with 8.5 pp to the general rate. The sector was one of those that registered the biggest losses from March to May 2020, a period that marked the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. The cumulative result for the year was 27.6%. The cumulative result for the last 12 months was 13.7%, with a gain of 8.3 p.p. in relation to the result of March (an increase of 5.4%).

Textiles, apparel and footwear showed an increase of 301.2% compared to April 2020, the highest growth in the entire time series, contributing 5.3 pp to the general rate, after 13 months of negative results that reflected the effects of social isolation, closing of physical stores and changes in consumption patterns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the cumulative index in the year went from -18.8% until March to 3.6% in April, the first increase since February 2020. In the last 12 months, the index remains in the negative sphere (-15.0%), with biggest negative result since May 2020 (-13.1%).

The Furniture and Home Appliances segment, up 71.3%, contributed 5.1 pp to the overall rate. The activity registered the tenth month of positive changes in the last 11 months, being April the third consecutive month. In the cumulative result for the year, from 1.5% up to March to 13.1% up to April, the sector shows acceleration in the pace of sales. In the last 12 months, the increase of 16.4% maintained the upward trend started in February 2021.

The activity of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries presented an increase of 34.1% in sales compared to April 2020, the eleventh consecutive positive change, compared to April 2020. In the cumulative result for the year, after reaching 11.2% until March to 16.2% until April, there was pace gain for the third consecutive month. The cumulative index in the last 12 months (12.1%) shows acceleration in growth, after three months of the same pace (8.8% in January, 8.9% in February and 8.9% in March).

The Fuels and lubricants activity, with an increase of 19.9% ​​compared to April 2020, has the first positive result since February 2020. The results throughout 2020 and 2021 for the sector have been influenced by the rise in prices of fuels and the reduction in the transit of people due to the pandemic, with a consequent decrease in the demand for fuels. As a result, the cumulative index in the year through April remains in the negative field (-1.2%), as well as the cumulative index in the last 12 months (-7.4%).

Office, computer and communication equipment and material showed an increase of 47.1% compared to April 2020, the first positive result since December 2019. The cumulative result for the year (1.1%) is the first positive rate since December 2019. The cumulative rate in 12 months (-9.3%), however, had its fifteenth consecutive negative rate, with a reduction in the rate of decline (-16.6% in February, -14.9% in March and -9.3% in April).

The growth in the activity of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (95.9%), compared to April 2020, is the first positive rate in 14 months. The sector faces the continuous replacement of printed products by electronic means and the reduction of physical stores, a movement intensified by the pandemic. The cumulative index in the year, changing from -43.3% until March to -33.9% until April, has remained in the negative field since January 2020 (3.6%). The cumulative index in the last 12 months (-36.3%) has presented negative results since February 2014 (0.7%).

The sector of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco, with a decrease of 1.7% compared to April 2020, registered the third consecutive negative rate, after the losses in March (-3.9%) and February (- 4.6%). The cumulative index in the year (-2.3%) remains at the level of the cumulative index up to March (-2.5%). The cumulative index in the last 12 months was 2.7%, with a reduction in the intensity of growth compared to March (3.2%).

In expanded retail trade, the Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces sector grew 132.1% compared to April 2020, marking the second positive rate after two months of decline and the highest growth in the time series, in this comparison. With this, the sector accumulated a high of 17.7% in the year and shows a gain in pace, compared to March (0.1%). The cumulative index in the last 12 months (-3.7%) represents the twelfth negative rate since April 2020 (1.3%).

With an increase of 44.4%, the Construction Material segment had the eleventh consecutive positive rate. As a result, the cumulative index in the year shows an increase in pace (25.6%), compared to March (20.4%). The indicator accumulated in the last 12 months changed from 16.1% in March to 21.1% in April, maintaining the pace of growth started in July 2020.

Two-month period grows 12.0% compared to 2020

Compared to the same period of 2020, retail trade grew 12.0%, reversing the fall of the first two months of the year (-2.1%). Seven of the eight activities had positive rates: Textiles, apparel and footwear (61.8%), Other personal and household articles (60.5%), Furniture and household appliances (36.4%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (21.5%), Office, computer and communication material and equipment (18.7%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (15.2%) and Fuels and lubricants (8.2%). The only fall was in Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.8%).

Extended retail grew 23.5% compared to the second two months of 2020, with increases both in the sector of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (64.7%) and in Construction material (38.6%).

Four-month period closes with a high of 4.5%

The first four months of 2021 closed with a 4.5% growth compared to the same period in 2020, the third consecutive positive rate. There was an increase in five of the eight activities: Other articles for personal and domestic use (27.6%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (16.2%), Furniture and household appliances (13.1%), Textiles, apparel and footwear (3.6%) and Office, computer and communication equipment and material (1.1%). On the other hand, they had negative results: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-33.9%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.3%) and Fuels and lubricants (-1.2%).

The Extended retail is also recovering, with growth of 9.2% compared to the same quarter of 2020, the second consecutive positive rate. There were gains in both activities: Construction material (25.6%) and Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (17.7%).

Sales grow in 21 Federation Unites compared to March

From March to April 2021, in the seasonally-adjusted series, the national rate of retail trade sales was 1.8%, with positive results in 21 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to the Federal District (19.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (14.9%) and Amapá (10.8%). On the other hand, pressing negatively, there are four FUs, with highlights for Mato Grosso (-1.4%), Alagoas (-1.1%) and Sergipe (-0.8%).

For the same comparison, the extended retail trade had an increase of 3.8%, with a predominance of positive results in 25 of the 27 FUs, highlighting Ceará (18.7%), Bahia (17.7%) and Tocantins (17.2%). On the other hand, pressing negatively, are Roraima (-1.5%) and Alagoas (-0.8%).

Compared to April 2020, the increase of 23.8% in retail sales was repeated over all 27 FUs, especially, in terms of change, to Amapá (86.0%), Rondônia (75.0%) and Amazonas (53.4%). As for participation in the composition of the overall rate, São Paulo (22.8%), Rio de Janeiro (24.9%) and Minas Gerais (22.4%) stand out.

In the extended retail trade, compared to April 2020, the increase of 41.0% also reached all 27 UFs, especially Amapá (93.3%), Rondônia (75.7%) and Amazonas (74.6%). As for participation in the composition of the rate, the highlights were São Paulo (38.6%), Rio de Janeiro (37.6%) and Minas Gerais (32.4%).