In April 2024, the volume of retail sales grew 0.9%, compared to March, in the seasonally adjusted series, reaching the fourth consecutive month of positive changes. Last month, the change had been 0.3%. The quarterly moving average changed 0.7% in the quarter ended in April.

In the non-adjusted series, retail trade rose 2.2% compared to April 2023, the 11th consecutive positive rate. The cumulative result for the year reached 4.9% while the cumulative result for the last 12 months was 2.7%.

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, construction materials and wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco, sales volume fell 1.0% in the seasonally adjusted series. The quarterly moving average changed -0.1%. In the series without seasonal adjustment, the extended retail grew 4.9%, accumulating in the year an increase of 4.7% compared to the same period in 2023 and 3.3% in 12 months.

In April, Brazilian retail trade grew 0.9% compared to the previous month, following the positive change recorded in March (0.3%). The sector recorded positive rates in every month of this year. With this result, the highest level in the time series, which had been in March 2024, was moved to April. Thus, retail grew 4.0% in the second two months, the 10th consecutive period with positive results, compared to the same two months of the previous year. In the first two months of this year, growth had been 6.0%.

Five of the eight activities advance in the seasonally adjusted series

In April 2024, in the seasonally adjusted series, there were positive rates in five of the eight activities: Office, IT and communication equipment and supplies (14.2%), Furniture and household appliances (2.4%), Fuels and lubricants ( 2.2%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, drinks and tobacco (1.5%) and Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (0.6%).

On the other hand, there were negative results in two sectors in relation to March: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-0.4%) and Textile, apparel and footwear (-0.7%). The activity of Other personal and household articles remained stable (0.0%) in this comparison.

In extended retail trade, both the activity of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (1.6%) and Construction Material (1.9%) had positive results.

Six retail activities advance compared to April 2023

In relation to April 2023, six of the eight sectors investigated advanced: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (18.9%), Office, IT and communication equipment and supplies (16.1%), Furniture and household appliances (8 .0%), Other personal and household articles (4.6%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (2.4%) and Fuels and lubricants (1.8%).

The other two declined in the same comparison: Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-1.3%) and Textile, apparel and footwear (-1.5%).

In extended retail trade, while Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces and Construction material grew when compared to April last year (rates of 28.8% and 16.3%, respectively), the activity of Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco registered a drop of 13.0%.

The activity of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles grew for the 14th consecutive month in the interannual indicator, reaching 18.9% in sales compared to April 2023, the biggest change among the eight activities. Such amplitude in the interannual indicator also meant that the sector made the largest contribution to the composition of the rate, adding 1.7 pp to the total of 2.2% in retail. In the year to date, April (13.8%) represented an increase in the intensity of gains, since the result until March had been 12.2%. In the case of the 12-month period, gains until April are 9.0%, above the cumulative index until March: 7.7%.

The Office, IT and communication equipment and supplies sector grew 16.1% in sales compared to April 2023, against a drop of 12.0% in March 2024 compared to March 2023. The sector has been showing great volatility in the interannual series, since the previous point, February 2024, registered an increase of 10.7%. During the year, the sector accumulated gains, going from -0.1% until March to 3.5% until April. Additionally, in terms of cumulative results over the last twelve months, from 0.8% in March to 2.4% in April, the sector also shows an intensification of its growth rate.

The Furniture and household appliances sector increased 8.0% in sales compared to the same month of the previous year, returning to the positive field in this indicator, as the month of March registered a drop of 4.4%. As a result, the activity made the second largest contribution to the interannual volume indicator, adding 0.5 pp to the total of 2.2% of retail. Also in the interannual analysis, in the last 18 months, the sector presented 14 positive results and four negative ones. In relation to the cumulative result in the year up to April, by going from -0.3% up to March to 1.7% in the reference month, the activity shows an increase in the pace of gains. The same applies to the 12-month index, which goes from 1.1% up to March to 1.9% up to April.

The activity of Other personal and household articles, which includes department stores, opticians, jewelry stores, sporting goods, toys, among others, in the interannual indicator, showed growth for the third consecutive month: for the month of April 2024 the result had been 4.6% in relation to the same month in 2023. Thus, the sector exerted the third biggest influence, among the positive indices, in the month/same month comparison of the previous year, adding 0.4 pp to the total of 2.2% . For the year, the result is positive at 6.1% up to April for the sector, less intense gains than up to March (6.6%). In the indicator for the last twelve months, there are losses over the last 23 points, being 5.4% until April 2024.

The Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery group showed a 2.4% increase in sales compared to April 2023, the first positive point after 14 months of declines. In the year, the activity accumulated losses for the tenth month in a row, reaching -7.3% until April. In the last twelve months, the scenario is similar: eight consecutive negative months, reaching -8.0% until April.

The Fuels and lubricants sector showed an increase (1.8%) in the volume of sales compared to April 2023 for the first time since January 2024: 0.8% in January, -0.2% in February and -4.9 % in March. In relation to the year to date up to April, going from -1.6% up to March to -0.7% in the reference month, the activity shows a reduction in the pace of losses. In terms of the cumulative result over the last twelve months, the result is also negative: -0.6% up to March versus -1.0% up to April.

The activity of Hyper, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco presented a 1.3% drop in sales compared to April 2023, the first negative result for this indicator since July 2022 (-0.3%). Thus, the sector achieved the highest contribution, among the negative indices, adding -0.7 pp to the total of 2.2% of retail. In the year, the sector accumulated 5.6% growth until April, below the level of March (8.0%). The same applies to the indicator accumulated over the last 12 months, which went from 5.0% gains up to March to 4.6% up to April.

The sales volume of the Textile, apparel and footwear activity fell 1.5% in sales compared to April 2023, the third consecutive negative result. As a result, the activity recorded the second biggest drop, in the interannual indicator, among all eight retail trade activities, contributing -0.1 pp to the total of 2.2%. In the year, the sector accumulates a loss of 0.6% in relation to the same period in 2023. In the last 12 months, going from an increase of -3.8% until March to -3.0% in April, the sector shows a reduction in the rate of losses.

In extended retail, the activity of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces grew 28.8% in April 2024 compared to April 2023, the highest result, in terms of amplitude, since June 2021, when it reached 32.9%. The April result also positions the sector as the one with the greatest contribution among the 11 surveyed to extended retail, reaching 4.9 pp of the total 4.9%. In the year to date, the sector shows acceleration, going from 9.4% up to March to 14.0% up to April. The same occurred for the cumulative result over the last 12 months, going from 9.2% up to March to 11.6% up to April.

Just as the automobile sector, the Construction material group showed an increase in sales compared to April 2023 (16.3%), the first negative one, after registering -9.5% in March, and the highest, in amplitude, since May 2021, when it had registered 25.7%. The other indicators also showed growth for the activity. In relation to the cumulative result in the year up to April, going from -1.8% up to March to 2.4% up to the reference month, the activity shows an increase in the pace of gains. In the last 12 months, the scenario has also reversed, going from cumulative losses of 1.5% until March to gains of 0.3% until April 2024.

Also comprising extended retail, Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco obtained its second consecutive negative rate: -22.9% in March and -13.0% in April 2024. Previously the sector had recorded seven consecutive positive rates: from August 2023 (8.2%) to February 2024 (10.9%). In the year, with April, the activity starts to show losses for the second month: -2.1% until March and -5.0% until April. The indicator for the last 12 months continues to maintain sustained gains: 0.9% until April.

Retail grows 4.0% in the second two-month period

In the second two months of this year, compared to the same two months in 2023, retail increased by 4.0%, the 10th positive rate in a row (the last two-month period with a negative change was the fourth of 2022: -2.0%). Five activities followed the growth of the global indicator and closed the two months with positive results: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (14.9%), Other personal and household articles  (9.0%), Hyper, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (3.6%), Furniture and household appliances (1.3%) and Office, IT and communication equipment and supplies (0.1%).

On the other hand, three activities closed the two months with negative rates: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery articles (-7.4%), Fuels and lubricants (-1.7%) and Textile, apparel and footwear (-1. two%).

In extended retail, the result for the second two months of 2024 was 1.6%, which is the seventh positive (the last negative one was in the first two months of 2023: -0.1%). While Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (13.9%), Construction material (2.2%) had an increase, Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco had a negative result (-18.5%).

Sales grow in 18 Federation Units in relation to March

From March to April 2024, in the seasonally adjusted series, the change in retail sales volume was 0.9%, with positive results in 18 of the 27 Federation Units (UFs), with a highlight to : Rondônia (5.1%), Roraima (4.5%) and Amapá (3.7%). On the other hand, nine Federation Units were negative, with a highlight to: Maranhão (-1.4%), Bahia (-1.2%) and Paraíba (-1.1%).

In the same comparison, extended retail trade recorded positive results in 16 of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights being: Goiás (8.2%), Roraima (7.3%) and Amapá (5.2%). On the other hand, 11 of the 27 Federation Units are putting downward pressure, with highlights being São Paulo (-4.1%), Maranhão (-3.7%) and Tocantins (-3.0%).

In the annual comparison, sales increase in 25 Federation Units

Compared to April 2023, the change in sales in retail trade was 2.2%, with positive results in 25 of the 27 Federation Units, with higlights to: Amapá (21.7%), Tocantins (12.2%) and Acre (9.3%). On the other hand, putting downward pressure are two FUs: Santa Catarina (-2.0%) and Mato Grosso (-1.2%).

In extended retail trade, the change between April 2024 and April 2023 showed a growth of 4.9% with positive results in 26 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to: Amapá (23.8%), Goiás (22 .8%) and Federal District (13.6%). Tocantins was the only FU to present a negative result for this indicator (-1.3%).