In March 2024, retail sales volume remained stable (0.0%), compared to February, in the seasonally adjusted series. In the previous month, there was an increase of 1.0%. The quarterly moving average grew 1.2% in the quarter ended in March.

In the non-adjusted series, retail grew 5.7% in March 2024 compared to March 2023, after an increase of 8.1% in February.

For the year, the cumulative figure is 5.9%. In the last 12 months, the result is an increase of 2.5%.

In extended retail trade, which includes, in addition to retail, the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, Construction material and Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco, the sales volume from February to March 2024 changed -0.3% after an increase of 1.0% in the previous month.

The evolution of the quarterly moving average index for extended retail, after an increase of 0.7% in the quarter ending in February 2024, increased by 1.0% in the quarter ending in March 2024.

Also in extended retail, the volume of sales fell 1.5% in March 2024 compared to March 2023, after a 9.7% growth in February 2024 compared to February 2023.

Year-to-date, the sector has grown by 4.6%, and in the last 12 months, the result is growth of 2.9%.

With the stability recorded in March, after the expansion of January and February, the record level of the seasonally-adjusted fixed-base index series moves from February to March 2024. The third non-negative result in the volume series, month to month, represents a difference of 3.8% compared to December 2023, the last month to record a drop (local minimum). As a result, retail closes the first quarter of 2024 with growth of 5.9% compared to the same period in 2023, the sixth consecutive increase in this comparison.

Seven of the eight activities have a negative rate compared to February

In March 2024, in the seasonally adjusted series, there was a predominance of negative rates, affecting seven of the eight activities surveyed: Office, IT and communication equipment and material (-8.7%), Furniture and household appliances (-2.4% ), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-1.1%), Fuels and lubricants (-0.6%), Fabrics, apparel and footwear (-0.4%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.3%) and Other articles for personal and domestic use (-0.1%). Only pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and perfumery (1.4%) increased in the month.

In extended retail trade, Construction material registered -0.4% between February and March, while Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces fell 1.4% in the period.

Five retail activities decline compared to March 2023

In comparison with the same month of the previous year, in March 2024 there was a predominance of negative rates, with five of the eight activities registering decline: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-16.2%), Office, computer and communication equipment and supplies (-12.4%), Fuels and lubricants (-4.9%), Furniture and household appliances (-4.0%) and Fabrics, apparel and footwear (-0.9%).

Three sectors showed growth in this comparison: Other personal and household articles (13.1%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and perfumery (11.4%) and Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (8. 6%). Considering the extended retail trade, there was a drop in Construction material (-9.4%) and Specialized wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco products (-23.0%). The activity of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces increased by 1.8% in this same comparison.

The Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery sector recorded a 16.2% drop in sales in March 2024 compared to March 2023, the 14th in a row and the biggest since September 2023, when it recorded -18.3% in comparison with September 2022. In the year, the sector accumulates losses of 9.4% until March. In the indicator for the last 12 months, it also records losses, of -8.6% until March.

The group of Office, computer and communication material and equipment showed a 12.4% drop in sales compared to March 2023, reversing the trend recorded in previous months (4.3% in January and 10.7% in February). As a result, in the year the cumulative figure drops to -0.3% until March. In the last 12 months, there has been a decrease in the intensity of growth, dropping to 0.8% by March 2024.

The Fuels and lubricants sector slowed by 4.9% in volume of sales compared to March 2023, the second consecutive negative result and the seventh in the last nine months. The activity made the biggest contribution, in the negative sphere, among the eight sectors surveyed, adding -0.6 pp to the total of 5.7% of retail. In relation to cumulative index over the the year, when it dropped to -1.6% in March, the activity shows a reversal in the pace of growth. In the last 12 months the result is similar: 0.9% until February and -0.6% until March.

The Furniture and household appliances sector saw a 4.0% drop in sales compared to March 2023, becoming negative, compared to the previous month, when it was 3.8%. In terms of influence, the activity achieved the second largest negative contribution to the general indicator: -0.3 pp of the total of 5.7%. In relation to the cumulative result for the year, the result until March was -0.2%, the first month to record losses for this indicator since December 2022. In the last 12 months, there was a decrease in the pace of gains: from 0.9% to February to 0.4% by March.

The activity of Fabric, apparel and footwear showed a drop of 0.9% in sales compared to March 2023, the second consecutive and the 10th in the negative scope, in the interannual comparison, since January 2023. In the year, the sector accumulates losses of 0 .3% until March. For the 17th consecutive month, the indicator for the last 12 months recorded negative results, being -3.7% until March.

In Other personal and household articles, which includes department stores, opticians, jewelry stores, sporting goods, toy stores, etc., the interannual indicator registered an increase of 13.1% in March 2024, the second consecutive growth after 21 months of declines. The activity also shows recovery in relation to the the cumulatie index of the year, rising to 6.6%. The same does not apply to the result accumulated in the last 12 months, which registered losses of 7.2% until March.

The activity of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and perfumery showed an increase of 11.4% in sales compared to March 2023. In total, there are 13 consecutive months recording growth: the last time there was a drop for the sector was in February 2023 (-0.5%). The increase contributed 1.2 pp to the total of 5.7% in retail, the second biggest influence on the positive field for the month of March. As a result, the sector accumulates 12.2% in the year until March compared to the same period in 2023. In the last 12 months, the total accrued is 7.7% until March, totaling 78 consecutive months of positive results for this indicator.

For the eighth consecutive month, the Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco sector presents a positive result in the interannual comparison, recording 8.6% growth between March 2024 and March 2023, leading the activity to exert the main influence on the indicator: 4.6 p.p of the total of 5.7%. For the year, the cumulative amount is 8.0% until March. In the last 12 months the value is also positive until March (5.0%).

In the extended retail, the result of -9.4% between March 2023 and March 2024 for Construction material was the first negative result for the volume indicator, after two consecutive months of growth. The fall in March led the sector to the second largest contribution in the negative sphere: -0.7 pp of the total of -1.5%. Both in the cumulative index in the year and in the last 12 months, the result, until March, is also negative: -1.7% and -1.5%, respectively.

The Wholesale activity specialized in food, beverages and tobacco recorded the first drop (-23.0%) since July 2023 (-6.3%), in the comarison with the same month of the previous year, and the largest one in the time series, which began in January 2023. This result places the sector as the main negative contribution to the extended retail: -4.3 pp of the total of -1.5%. In the year 2024 until March, the activity accumulates -2.2% losses, reversing the sign in relation to the cumulative index until February: 13.6%. In the last 12 months there has been a loss of growth rate: from 4.2% until February to 1.9% until March.

Still within the scope of extended retail, the activity of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces presented a positive result (1.8%) in the comparison between March 2024 and March 2023, after recording 16.6% in February 2024 in relation to the same month of the previous year. In the cumulative indicator for the year, the sector has positive results for the 15th consecutive month: 9.4% until March 2024. In the last 12 months, the activity accumulates gains of 9.2% until March.

Retail records an increase of 5.9% in the first quarter of 2024

The first quarter of 2024 achieved 5.9% growth compared to the same period in 2023. The result was the fifth consecutive positive result in this comparison, as the last negative result was the third quarter of 2022 (-0.4%).

By sector, three activities had positive results: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and perfumery (12.2%), hypermarkets and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (8.0%) and other articles for personal and domestic use (6.6%).

Five activities showed a negative change in the first quarter of 2024 in relation to the same quarter of 2023: Books, Newspapers, magazines and stationery (-9.4%), Fuels and lubricants (-1.6%), Fabrics, apparel and footwear ( -0.3%), Office, computer and communication material and equipment (-0.3%) and Furniture and household appliances (-0.2%).

In the case of extended retail, the result for the first quarter of 2024 was positive at 4.6% in relation to the first quarter of 2023. In sectoral terms, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces had growth of 9.4%, while construction and wholesale specialized in food, beverages and tobacco products closed with negative results: -1.7% and -2.2%, respectively

Sales increase in 16 of the 27 federation units compared to February

From February to March 2024, in the seasonally adjusted series, there were positive results in 16 of the 27 Federation Units (UFs), with a highlight to: Sergipe (3.7%), Bahia (3.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (2.1%).

On the other hand, putting downward pressure are 11 FUs, with a highlight to Mato Grosso (-11.2%), Pará (-2.6%) and Tocantins (-1.4%).

For the same comparison, in the extended retail trade, there were negative results in 15 of the 27 FUs, with a highlight to: Pará (-7.0%), Roraima (-6.1%) and Piauí (-6.1%). On the other hand, with a positve impact, there are 10 FUs, with a highlight to Pernambuco (4.7%), Espírito Santo (2.4%) and Maranhão (1.9%). Amapá and Acre registered stability (variation of 0.0%) from February to March.

In comparison with March 2023, 25 UFs register an increase

Compared to March 2023, there were positive results in 25 of the 27 FUs, with a highlight to: Amapá (13.4%), Bahia (11.1%) and Paraíba (10.0%). On the other hand, under negative pressure, there are only two FUs: Espírito Santo (-2.8%) and Mato Grosso (-1.6%).

In the extended retail trade, there were negative results in 14 FUs, with a highlight to: Mato Grosso (-13.5%), Tocantins (-10.3%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-8.4%). In the positive scope, there were 13 FUs, witha highlight to Maranhão (10.8%), Amapá (10.2%) and Pernambuco (8.9%).