Retail sales retreat 1.5% in April
June 16, 2026 09h00 AM | Last Updated: June 17, 2026 11h54 AM
In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of retail trade sales retreated 1.5% in April 2026 over March. As a result, the quarterly average remained stable (0.0%) in the quarter ended in April 2026, after an increase of 0.7% in the quarter ended in March.
| Period | Retail | Extended Retail | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume of sales | Nominal revenue | Volume of sales | Nominal revenue | |
| April / March* | -1.5 | 1.1 | -0.7 | -0.2 |
| Quarterly moving average* | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| April 2026 / April 2025 | 1.0 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 3.6 |
| Cumulative in 2026 | 2.0 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 3.2 |
| Cumulative in 12 months | 1.5 | 5.1 | 0.2 | 3.1 |
| *Seasonally-adjusted series Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Estatísticas Conjunturais em Empresas |
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Compared to April 2025, volume of retail sales grew 1.0%, after an increase of 4.0% in March. In the year, retail accumulated an increase of 2.0% and, in the last 12 months, of 1.5%.
In the extended retail trade, which includes the activities of Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces; Construction material and Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco, volume of sales fell 0.7% in April compared to the immediately previous month, after registering stability in March 2026 (0.0%). As a result, the quarterly average for the extended retail changed 0.1% in the quarter ending in April 2026, after increasing 0.6% in the quarter ending in March.
Compared to the same month in 2025, the expanded retail increased 1.4%, after growth of 6.5% in March 2026. In the year, the indicator increased 1.8% and, in the last 12 months, 0.2%.
In the seasonally-adjusted series, the drop in volume of retail sales from March to April 2026 registered two positive rates and six negative rates. In the negative field, there were Fuels and lubricants (-6.2%); Other articles for personal and domestic use (-4.6%); Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-4.5%); Furniture and household appliances (-0.8%); Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (-0.1%); and Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries (-0.1%).
On the positive side, the highlights were Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.3%) and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (1.1%). In the extended retail trade, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces registered a drop (-0.7%) as did Construction material (-3.6%).
| Table 1 - BRAZIL - INDICATORS OF VOLUME OF SALES OF THE RETAIL TRADE AND EXTENDED RETAIL TRADE, ACCORDING TO GROUPS OF ACTIVITIES: April 2026 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACTIVITIES | MONTH/PREVIOUS MONTH (1) | MONTH/SAME MONTH IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR | CUMULATIVE | |||||
| Change Rate (%) | Change Rate (%) | Change Rate (%) | ||||||
| FEB | MAR | APR | FEB | MAR | APR | IN THE YEAR | 12 MONTHS | |
| RETAIL TRADE (2) | 0.8 | 0.7 | -1.5 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
| 1 - Fuel and lubricants | 1.6 | 5.0 | -6.2 | -0.2 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| 2 - Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco | 1.3 | -1.0 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| 2.1 - Supermarkets and hypermarkets | 1.0 | -1.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| 3 - Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear | -0.7 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -5.8 | 2.9 | -2.5 | -1.0 | -0.2 |
| 4 - Furniture and houshold appliances | -0.7 | -1.1 | -0.8 | -1.9 | 6.2 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| 4.1 - Furniture | - | - | - | -9.1 | 0.1 | -3.0 | -3.7 | -4.6 |
| 4.2 - Household appliances | - | - | - | 0.8 | 8.6 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 7.4 |
| 5 - Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries | 0.4 | 0.0 | -0.1 | 2.1 | 7.2 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| 6 - Books, newspapers, magazines ans stationery | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | -4.1 | 9.2 | 0.0 | -0.7 | 0.4 |
| 7 - Office, computer and communication equipment and material | -2.7 | 5.2 | -4.5 | 0.2 | 22.5 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 7.7 |
| 8 - Other articles of personal and domestic use | -0.3 | 4.1 | -4.6 | -4.9 | 11.1 | -3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| EXTENDED RETAIL TRADE (3) | 1.0 | 0.0 | -0.7 | -2.1 | 6.5 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| 9 - Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces | 1.3 | -0.8 | -0.7 | -7.9 | 12.5 | 2.6 | 1.0 | -3.1 |
| 10- Construction material | 0.6 | 2.7 | -3.6 | -8.4 | 8.1 | 0.0 | -0.7 | -1.5 |
| 11- Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco | -1.0 | 8.7 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 0.5 | |||
| Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Estatísticas Conjunturais em Empresas (1) Seasonally-adjusted series. (2) The retail trade indicator is made up of the results of activities numbered 1 to 8. (3) The extended retail trade indicator is made up of the results of activities numbered 1 to 10 |
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Compared to April 2025, five activities register growth
In the comparison between April 2026 and the same month of the previous year, volume of five activities expanded, while two remained in the negative field and one remained stable: Office, computer and communication equipment and material (6.5%), Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries (4.5%), Furniture and household appliances (2.6%), Fuels and lubricants (1.6%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.9%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (0.0%), Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear (-2.5%) and Other articles for personal and domestic use (-3.0%).
| Table 2 - BRAZIL - INDICATORS OF NOMINAL REVENUE OF SALES IN THE RETAIL TRADE AND EXTENDED RETAIL TRADE, ACCORDING TO THE ACTIVITY GROUPS: April 2026 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACTIVITIES | MONTH/PREVIOUS MONTH (1) | MONTH/SAME MONTH IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR | CUMULATIVE | |||||
| Change Rate (%) | Change Rate (%) | Change Rate (%) | ||||||
| FEB | MAR | APR | FEB | MAR | APR | IN THE YEAR | 12 MONTHS | |
| RETAIL TRADE (2) | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| 1 - Fuels and lubricants | 1.1 | 11.6 | -2.3 | -1.9 | 15.4 | 13.5 | 7.3 | 4.6 |
| 2 - Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 4.4 |
| 2.1 - Supermerkets and hypermarkets | 1.0 | -0.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 4.6 |
| 3 - Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear | -1.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | -1.8 | 6.9 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| 4 - Furniture and household appliances | -1.1 | -0.7 | -0.2 | -4.7 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 2.8 |
| 4.1 - Furniture | - | - | - | -7.1 | 2.7 | -0.8 | -1.3 | -1.6 |
| 4.2 - Household appliances | - | - | - | -4.0 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 4.3 |
| 5 - Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries | 1.0 | 0.3 | -0.1 | 7.4 | 13.1 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 10.1 |
| 6 - Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery | -1.3 | -0.1 | -0.2 | -0.1 | 12.9 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 5.1 |
| 7 - Office, computer and communication equipment and material | -2.0 | 5.8 | -3.9 | -1.7 | 20.9 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 6.6 |
| 8 - Other articles of personal and domestic use | 0.2 | 4.8 | -4.0 | -1.3 | 15.5 | 1.2 | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| EXTENDED RETAIL TRADE (3) | 0.9 | 1.0 | -0.2 | -1.4 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| 9 - Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces | 1.0 | -0.3 | -0.7 | -7.5 | 13.1 | 3.3 | 1.7 | -1.4 |
| 10- Construction material | 1.1 | 2.2 | -2.0 | -5.6 | 11.9 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.5 |
| 11- Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco | -3.3 | 6.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | |||
| Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Estatísticas Conjunturais em Empresas (1) Seasonally-adjusted series |
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The sector of Office, computer and communication equipment and material showed a 6.5% increase in sales compared to April 2025, after a growth of 22.5% in March, reaching eight consecutive months of results in the positive field. In the seasonally-unadjusted series, on the margin, the activity fell 4.5% from March to April after rising 5.2% in the previous month. In the year, the activity accumulated an increase of 8.8% and, in the last 12 months, there were gains of 7.7%
The activity of Pharmaceuticals, medical and orthopedic articles and toiletries recorded an increase of 4.5% compared to April 2025, the thirty-eighth consecutive month in the positive field (the last month to record a drop in the inter-annual indicator was February 2023: -0.5%). Still in relation to April 2025, the activity exerted the second greatest contribution, in the positive field, to the retail result, adding up to 0.4 p.p. to a total of 1.0%. Compared to the immediately previous month, after discounting seasonal effects, there was a negative change of 0.1%. The cumulative result showed gains of 4.8% in the year compared to the same period in 2025. In 12 months, the rate showed an increase of 5.0%.
The group of Furniture and household appliances recorded an inter-annual change of 2.6% in April 2026, following an increase of 6.2% in the previous month. For this indicator, the sector has been experiencing consecutive positive results since July 2025 (3.2%), with the exception of February (-1.9%). On the margin, the segment fell 0.8% between March and April. Considering the cumulative period, the activity registered an increase of 3.3% in the year, while, in the last 12 months, it showed an increase of 4.3%.
In the segment of Fuels and lubricants, sales were 1.6% above the level of April 2025, compared to an increase of 7.8% in March in this same comparison. In relation to March this year, the seasonally-adjusted series fell 6.2%. In the cumulative index in the year, the balance showed an increase of 2.3%. In the 12-month period, the result also indicated an increase of 1.1%.
The sector of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco grew 0.9% in volume of sales compared to April 2025, the sixth consecutive result in the positive field. In comparison with April 2025, the activity exerted the greatest positive contribution to the retail result, adding up to 0.5 p.p. to a total of 1.0%. In the seasonally-adjusted series, the reading of the month against the immediately previous month showed that the activity grew 1.3% from March to April. In the cumulative index in the year, the activity has gained 1.6% until April and, in the last 12 months, it has accumulated an increase of 0.6%.
The activity of Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery recorded stability of 0.0% compared to April 2025, after an increase of 9.2% in March. Compared to the immediately previous month, already discounting seasonal effects, the result was positive at 1.1%. The cumulative result pointed to a drop of 0.7% in the year; in 12 months, the rate showed a change of 0.4%.
The group of Fabric, wearing apparel and footwear registered an inter-annual change of -2.5% in April 2026, following an increase of 2.9% in the previous month. On the margin, the segment fell 0.1% between March and April. The activity exerted the second greatest negative contribution to the retail result, with -0.1 p.p. in the composition of the global rate of 1.0%. Considering the cumulative period, the activity registered a drop of 1.0% in the year, while, in the last 12 months, it showed a negative change of 0.2%.
In the segment of Other articles for personal and domestic use, which includes department stores, toys, sporting goods, among others, sales were 3.0% below the level of April 2025, compared to an increase of 11.1% in March. The activity exerted the greatest negative contribution to the retail result, with -0.3 p.p. in the composition of the global rate of 1.0%. In relation to March, the seasonally-adjusted series showed a drop of 4.6% in April. Year-to-date, the balance showed an increase of 1.3%. In the 12-month period, the result also indicated an increase: 1.7%.
The positive reading also appeared in the extended retail, with two sectors with rates in the positive field, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (2.6%) and Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco (2.0%) and one stability, Construction material (0.0%).
The sector of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces showed a 2.6% increase in sales compared to April 2025, after growing 12.5% in March. The activity exerted the greatest contribution in the positive field to the extended retail result in the inter-annual comparison, adding up to 0.5 p.p. to a total of 1.4%. According to the marginal reading, seasonally adjusted, the activity fell 0.7% from March to April. Year-to-date, the activity has accumulated gains of 1.0% and, in the last 12 months, losses of 3.1%.
The activity of Wholesale specializing in food products, beverages and tobacco recorded an increase of 2.0% compared to April 2025, after growing 8.7% in March. The activity exerted the second greatest contribution in the positive field to the extended retail result, adding up to 0.3 p.p. to a total of 1.4%. The cumulative result pointed to an increase of 3.1% in the year; in 12 months, the rate showed gains of 0.5%.
The group of Construction material recorded an inter-annual change of 0.0% (stability) in April 2026, following an increase of 8.1% in the previous month. On the margin, the segment fell 3.6% between March and April. Considering the cumulative period, the activity registered a drop of 0.7% in the year, while, in the last 12 months, it showed a drop of 1.5%.
Retail trade records negative rates in 20 out of 27 Federation Units
From March to April 2026, in the seasonally-adjusted series, retail trade recorded a decline in 20 out of 27 Federation Units, particularly: Piauí (-3.9%), Goiás (-3.8%), Santa Catarina (-3.6%) and Amazonas (-3.6%).
In the positive field, there are 6 out of 27 Federation Units, with emphasis on Roraima (1.8%), Tocantins (1.6%) and São Paulo (1.3%). Rio Grande do Sul (0.0%) showed stability.
In the same comparison, in the expanded retail trade, the change between March and April 2026 had negative results in 20 out of 27 Federation Units, with emphasis on: Rondônia (-5.5%), Amazonas (-4.9%), Tocantins (-4.0%) and Paraná (-4.0%).
On the other hand, in the positive field, there are seven out of 27 Federation Units, with emphasis on Rio Grande do Sul (3.2%), Goiás (3.1%) and Maranhão (2.2%).
Compared to April 2025, retail trade showed progress in 20 out of 27 Federation Units, with highlights being: Pernambuco (8.9%), Tocantins (8.0%) and the Federal District (6.5%).
On the negative side, there were seven out of 27 Federation Units, with highlights being: Pará (-3.4%), Piauí (-2.8%) and Paraíba (-1.6%).
In the extended retail trade, the change between April 2025 and April 2026 had 21 out of 27 Federation Units showing growth, with emphasis on: Goiás (13.0%), Federal District (7.3%) and Mato Grosso (6.6%).
On the other hand, six out of 27 Federation Units showed negative results, especially São Paulo (-4.3%), Piauí (-3.3%), Pará (-1.3%) and Paraíba (-1.3%).
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