In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of the retail trade sales stayed at -0.4% in April 2025. The change had been 0.8% in the previous month. The quarterly moving average changed 0.3% in the quarter ended in April.

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, the retail trade grew 4.8% over April 2024. The cumulative index in the year stayed at 2.1%, whereas the cumulative index in the last 12 months stayed at 3.4%.

As for the extended retail trade, which encompasses vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and construction material, volume of sales retreated -1.9% in the seasonally-adjusted series, after rising 1.7% in March. The quarterly moving average changed -0.2% in the quarter ended in April 2025, after advancing 1.5% in the immediately previous month.

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, which also includes wholesale specialized in food, beverages and tobacco, the extended retail grew 0.8%, the first rise of after registering -1.2% in March. The cumulative index in the year stayed at 1.0%, whereas the cumulative index in 12 months stayed at 2.7%.

Positive and negative rates balanced in eight activities

In the seasonally-adjusted series, positive and negative rates were balanced in April 2025. Fuels and lubricants (-1.7%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-1.3%), Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.8%) and Furniture and domestic appliances (-0.3%) dropped.

On the other hand, Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (1.6%), Other personal and household articles (1.0%), Fabric, apparel and footwear (0.6%) and Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (0.2%) increased.

The two additional activities that comprise the extended retail in this indicator registered a negative change: Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (-2.2%) and Construction material (-0.4%).

Five retail activities rose over April 2024

In relation to April 2024, five out of eight sectors investigated in the retail trade grew: Other personal and household articles (10.9%), Fabric, apparel and footwear (7.8%), Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (6.4%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (1.9%) and Furniture and domestic appliances (0.7%).

The other three activities showed results on the negative side: Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-5.2%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-3.8%) and Fuels and lubricants (-1.9%).

In the extended retail trade, all the three additional activities registered negative figures: Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (-7.1%), Construction material (-2.7%) and Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco (-2.4%).

In the activity of Other articles of personal and domestic use, which encompasses department, optical, jewelry, sports and toy stores among others, the indicator grew 10.9% in the inter-annual comparison, reversing the signal last month (-6.3% in March 2025 against March 2024). That second was the second biggest contribution, on the positive side, to the overall result, adding up to 0.9 p.p. out of the total of 4.8% in the retail. That activity grew in relation to the cumulative index in the year, changing from 0.1% in March to 2.7% in April. The same occurred in the cumulative index over the last 12 months, which recorded 6.0% until April.

The activity of Fabric, apparel and footwear increased 7.8% in sales against April 2024, the tenth positive result in a row. As a result, that activity recorded the second highest rise in the inter-annual indicator, among the activities of the retail trade, contributing with 0.4 p.p. out of the total of 4.8% of volume. That sector accumulated gains of 4.9% in the year. Having changed from 3.7% up to March to 4.6% up to April, the cumulative index over the last 12 months showed an increase in the pace of gains.

The sector of Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco rose 6.4% in sales over April 2024, the first positive figure for this indicator since January 2025 (2.8%). As a result, that sector reached the biggest contribution, on the positive side, adding up to 3.6 p.p. out of the total of 4.8% in the retail. In the year, that sector had a cumulative increase of 1.8% up to April, above the March´s level (0.3%). The value was also positive in the last 12 months, changing from 2.8% of gains up to March to 3.4% up to April.

The activity of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries increased 1.9% in sales over April 2024. They were 26 consecutive months of growth: the last time that sector dropped was in March 2023 (-0.5%). As a result, that sector accumulated a gain of 3.2% until April, below the accumulated rate up to March (3.6%). In the last 12 months, the cumulative index was 5.7% up to April, a decrease in the gains, since the result up to March had been 6.5%.

The sector of Furniture and domestic appliances rose 0.7% in sales over April 2024, the seventh positive figure in the inter-annual comparison. The last month to register a negative rate was September 2024 (-0.2%). Still in the inter-annual rate, that sector recorded 14 positive figures and two negative ones over the last 16 months. Having changed from 5.7% up to March to 4.4% in the reference month, that activity showed a decrease in the pace of gains in the cumulative index in the year up to April. The same occurred in the cumulative index in 12 months, which changed from 5.6% up to March to 5.0% up to April.

The group of Office, computer and communication equipment and material fell for the third consecutive month: -3.8% in February, -2.1% in March and -5.2% in April. The downward path occurred in seven out of the last nine months in the inter-annual comparison. That sector accumulated losses in the year, changing from -1.4% up to March to -2.4% up to April. Having changed from +0.4% up to March to -1.1% in April, that sector reversed the path in the last 12 months.

The group of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery reported the 12th drop in a row (-3.8% over April 2024). Only two rises occurred in that activity since January 2023: in January 2023 (18.3%) and in April 2024 (2.4%). In the year, that sector accumulated consecutive losses for 23 months, reaching -3.9% up to April. The scenario was similar in the last 12 months: 20 consecutive negative months, hitting -6.4% up to April.

In the inter-annual comparison, the sector of Fuels and lubricants reported a drop (-1.9% over April 2024) for the first time since December 2024 (-1.8% in December, 1.3% in January 2025, 2.2% in February and 1.1% in March). Having changed from 1.5% up to March to 0.6% in the reference month, the cumulative index in the year decreased the pace of gains. The result was negative in the last 12 months: -0.8% up to March against -1.1% up to April.

In the extended retail trade, companies that traded Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces dropped (-7.1%) in the comparison between April 2025 and April 2024, the biggest retreat since July 2022 (-8.5%). The April´s figure was the highest negative contribution among 11 sectors for the extended retail, hitting -1.4 p.p. out of the total of +0.8%. It decelerated in the cumulative index in the year, changing from 5.2% up to March to 1.8% up to April. The same occurred for the cumulative index over the last 12 months, changing from 10.5% up to March to 7.6% up to April.

The group of Construction material also showed the first retreat after ten months of rises (-2.7% over April 2024). In the cumulative index in the year up to April, that activity decreased the pace of gains by changing from 6.1% up to March to 3.8% up to the reference month. The pace also reversed in the last 12 months: 5.5% up to February, 6.8% up to March and 5.2% up to April 2025.

The activity of Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco registered the ninth negative rate in a row (-2.4%). Negative figures prevailed in the inter-annual comparison: only the month of July (0.6%) was not negative since March 2024. Both the cumulative index in the year (-5.8%) and the cumulative indicator in the last 12 months (-7.4% up to April) registered losses.

Retail records rise of 1.9% in the last bimester.

Compared with the same period last year, the retail trade grew 1.9% in the bimester ended in April 2025. It was the 16th consecutive positive rate in this comparison, since the last negative figure was in the fourth bimester of 2022 (-2.0%).

In sectoral terms, five activities reported results on the positive side: Fabric, apparel and footwear (4.5%), Hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (2.3%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (2.0%), Furniture and domestic appliances (1.9%) and Other personal and household articles (1.8%). On the other hand, three activities closed the bimester with negative rates: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-6.0%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-3.7%) and Fuels and lubricants (-0.4%).

For the extended retail trade, the result for the second bimester of 2025 was -0.2%, the first one on the negative side after 12 months of rises. In sectoral terms, still in the extended retail, Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces fell 4.9%, Construction material rose (1.1%) and Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco retreated (-3.1%).

Sales advance in 17 out of 27 Federation Units in relation to March

In the seasonally adjusted series, the average national sales rate of the retail trade was -0.4% between March and April 2025, with positive figures in 17 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Rondônia (2.3%), Amazonas (1.7%) and Acre (1.6%). In contrast, nine out of 27 Federation Units recorded negative figures, highlighted by Goiás (-27%), Rio de Janeiro (-1.9%) and Minas Gerais (-1.7%). Tocantins remained stable (0.0%).

Still comparing with March 2025, the extended retail trade reported positive figures in 14 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Pernambuco (2.3%), Roraima (2.1%) and Sergipe (1.9%). On the other hand, 12 out of 27 Federation Units pressed negatively, highlighted by Paraná (-5.0%), Espírito Santo (-2.8%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-1.9%). Paraíba remained stable (0.0%) in this indicator.

In relation to 2024, sales grow in 24 Federation Units

Compared with April 2024, sales in the retail trade grew 4.8% this month, with positive figures in 24 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Santa Catarina (11.7%), Paraíba (11.6%) and Alagoas (10.2%). In contrast, three out of 27 Federation Units pressed negatively: Roraima (-3.8%), Tocantins (-1.2%) and Rio de Janeiro (-0.5%).

In the extended retail trade, the change between April 2024 and April 2025 showed a growth of 0.8%, with positive figures in 17 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Paraíba (9.6%), Ceará (7.2%) and Amapá (5.6%). Ten Federation Units were on the negative side, highlighted by Goiás (-9.2%), Bahia (-2.2%) and Acre (-1.6%)