In August 2023, the volume of retail sales changed -0.2% compared to July, in the seasonally adjusted series, after an increase of 0.7% in July 2023. The quarterly moving average, after changing from 0. 1% in the quarter ending in July 2023, returned to a close-to-zero change in the quarter ending in August (0.2%). In the non-adjusted series, retail trade increased by 2.3% compared to August 2022. Retail trade accumulated 1.6% from January to August 2023 in relation to the same period in 2022. In the cumulative result for the last 12 months, retail reached 1.7% in August 2023.

In extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, construction material and specialized wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco, sales volume fell 1.3% compared to July, in the seasonally-adjusted series, after changing -0.4% in July 2023. As a result, the quarterly moving average for extended retail changed -0.1%. In the non-adjusted series, extended retail grew 3.6% compared to July 2022, completing six months with uninterrupted growth. The cumulative result for the year was 4.2% and the cumulative result in 12 months was 2.7%.

In August, the retail trade of Brazil recorded a negative change of  0.2%, indicating stability on margin. As a result, the difference of the sales level n August 2023 for the peak of the time series (October 2020) is -2.6%.

In the seasonally-adjusted series, the volume of sales of the retail trade remained balanced between negative and positive rates between July and August 2023. Other personal and household articles (-4.8%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-3.2%), Furniture and household appliances (-2.2%) and Fabric, apparel and footwear (-0.4%) had negative rates. Hypermarket and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.9%), Fuels and lubricants (0.9%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (0.2%) and Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (0.1%) had positive rates from July to August 2023.

The additional sectors of the extended retail trade had a different behavior: growth of 3.3% for Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories and change of -0.1% for Construction material.

Compared to August 2022, five of the eight activities decreased

Comparing August 2023 with August 2022, retail trade had predominance of negative changes, reaching five of the eight activities. Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-15.7%), other personal and household articles (-7.9%), Fabric, apparel and footwear (-7.0%), Fuels and lubricants (-3.5%) and Furniture and domestic appliances (-1.5%). On the other hand, three activities had growth in the interannual indicator: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (6.5%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (6.2%) and Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (5.6%).

In the extended retail, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces and Specialized wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco had increase: 10.8% and 8.8%, respectively. Construction material changed -0.5% in August 2023 in the comparison with August 2022.

In the annual comparison, Other personal and household articles and Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery recorded the greatest drops

The group Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery had decrease of 15.7% compared to August 2022, the seventh consecutive drop (-6.7 in February, -6.1% in March, -6.3% in April, -5.6% in May, -2.2% in June and -7.4% in July). The cumulative result of the year was -2.5%, the second month in a row to record losses. In the last twelve months there is a 1.0% gain up to August, the least intense since January 2022, when it had been -4,0.

Other personal and household articles, encompassing department stores, opticians, jewel shops, sporting goods stores, toy stores, etc, recorded decrease of 7.9% compared to August 2022, reaching 16 months in a row of negative rates (the last month to present a high was April 2022: 1.1%. In 2023, the sector accumulates losses of 11.9% in relation to the same period of 2022. In twelve months, the cumulative result is of -10.9% compared to the previous twelve months.

The activity of Fabric, apparel and footwear fell by 7.0% in August 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. For this indicator, the year 2023 recorded growth in two months: July (1.3%) and January ( 2.4%). In the others, the changes were negative. The sector accumulates losses for the seventh consecutive month, and until August the same level accumulated until July was recorded: 7.5%. In the last twelve months the scenario is also of loss: -9.7% until August, a similar value to July (-9.6%).

The Fuels and lubricants group showed a drop of 3.5% compared to August 2022, the second consecutive negative result (-2.3% in July) after 17 months of positive rates. In the year, the sector accumulated gains of 9.2% until August, the lowest level since July 2022 (7.0%). The sequence of cumulative results over the last twelve months is also one of gains (15.6%), but the smallest (in the positive field) since September 2023 (7.6%).

Completing the sectors with negative results in the interannual indicator, Furniture and household appliances fell 1.5% in sales compared to August 2022, the first drop after reaching three consecutive months of positive rates (0.4% in May, 2.7% in June and 3.3% in August). In the year to August, from 1.4% up to July to 1.0% in the reference month, activity shows a decrease in the pace of growth. In the last twelve months, the result until August is the first positive (0.4%) after 22 months of recording losses (the last positive result was in September 2021 (3.1%).

The sector of Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries continues to show an increase in August 2023 compared to August 2022 (6.5%). There have been six months of growth (the last drop was in February 2023: -0.5%). Year-to-date, the increase up to August was 3.5%, above the level up to July (3.0%), indicating an acceleration in the pace of growth. In the last twelve months, the scenario is one of maintaining the pace, with percentages of increase between 4.0% and 3.8% in the last six months: 4.0% in March, 4.0% in April, 3.9% in May, 3.6% in June and 3.8% in both July and August.

For Office, computer and communication equipment and materials, the interannual comparison showed growth of 6.2% in August 2023, the second consecutive month of increase (6.8%). In the year to date, in relation to the same period in 2022, the sector went from 0.1% until July to 0.9% until the reference month. In the last twelve months the scenario repeated itself: 1.4% until July, rising to 1.8% until August, with an intensification in the pace of gains.

The activity of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco increased by 5.6% compared to August 2022, reaching 13 uninterrupted months of growth in the interannual indicator. The scenario for the year is one of intensification in the accumulation of gains: 2.5% until May, 2.6% until June, 2.7% until July and 3.0% until August. The same occured in the last 12 months: 2.3% up to May, 2.4% up to June, 2.6% up to July and 3.0% up to August.

Considering the additional sectors of extented retail, the sales volume of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces grow again in August 2023, compared to 2022 (10.8%), completing 4 consecutive months of increase. In 2023, the sector accumulates gains in all months of 2023, reaching 6.7% by August. In the cumulative index in the last twelve months, going from an increase of 2.2% until July to 3.6% in August, the sector intensified its gains for the third consecutive month.

The Construction material group showed a change of -0.5% in sales compared to August 2022, registering growth in the interannual indicator, in 2023, only in January: 1.0% in January, -5.7% in February, - 5.0% in March, -7.7% in April, -2.0 in May, -2.4% in June and -0.3% in July. As a result, the year 2023 has accumulated losses since February, reaching -2.8% until August. In terms of cumulative results over the last twelve months, the pace of losses reduced by 0.5 p.p.: -5.8% until July and -5.3% until August.

Finally, the activity of Wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco increased, in the interannual indicator, for the sixth consecutive month, registering 8.8% in August 2023, compared to August 2022 (5.4% in March, 12.0% in April, 18.3% in May, 21.4% in June and 19.2% in July). As a result, the year-to-date index shows gains of 9.6% up to August, the fifth consecutive year with positive values.

Retail accumulates an increase of 2.4% in the 4th two-month period of 2023

Retail trade recorded an increase of 2.4% in the 4th two months of 2023 compared to the same two months in 2022, being the fourth two months to present positive results. The positive result was followed by four of the eight sectors that make up the global indicator: Office, computer and communication equipment and material (6.5%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (6.5%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (4.3%) and Furniture and household appliances (0.8%). On the other hand, also four activities showed negative changes in relation to the 4th two-month period of the previous year: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-11.7%), Other personal and household articles (-6.4%), Fuels and lubricants (-2. 9%) and Fabric, apparel and footwear (-2.9%).

For extented retail, the result was also positive (5.1% in the 4th two-month period of 2023 in relation to the same bim of 2022), followed by Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (10.3%) and Specialized wholesale of food products , drinks and tobacco (14.1%). The Construction material sector changed -0.4% in the fourth two months.

In August, sales fell in 20 Federation Units compared to July

In August, there were negative results in 20 of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights being: Paraíba (-3.6%), Alagoas (-2.7%) and Amapá (-2.3%).

On the other hand, putting positive pressure are six of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights being Rio Grande do Sul (2.0%), Federal District (1.4%) and Paraná (0.7%).

For the same comparison, in extented retail trade, there was also a predominance of negative results, 24 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to: Bahia (-18.4%), Pará (-15.8%) and Ceará (-10 .5%). On the other hand, pushing positively are 3 of the 27 Federation Units: Mato Grosso do Sul (2.4%), Rio Grande do Sul (1.1%) and Pernambuco (1.1%). São Paulo registered stability (0.0%) from July to August.

Compared to August 2022, the change in sales in retail trade, in the current month, was 2.3%, with positive results in 19 of the 27 Federation Units, with emphasis on: Tocantins (9.7%), Maranhão (8 .5%) and Ceará (8.0%). On the other hand, putting downward pressure are 8 of the 27 Federation Units, with emphasis on Paraíba (-24.5%), Amapá (-4.7%) and Roraima (-2.2%).

In extended retail trade, the variation between August 2023 and August 2022 was 3.6% with positive results in 14 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to: Maranhão (18.7%), Espírito Santo (12. 2%) and Ceará (9.4%). On the other hand, 12 Federation Units recorded negative rates, with highlights being: Paraíba (-14.8%), Roraima (-7.4%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-7.3%). The Federal District reported stability (0.0%) for expanded retail.

In the interannual comparison, sales increase in 23 of the 27 Federation Units

Compared to August 2022, retail sales had positive results in 14 of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights being: Tocantins (9.7%), Maranhã (8.5%) and Ceará (8.0%). On the other hand, putting downward pressure are 13 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to Paraíba (-24.5%), Amapá (-4.7%) and Roraima (-2.2%).

In extented retail trade, the change between August 2023 and August 2022 was 3.6% with positive results in 14 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to: Maranhão (18.7%), Espírito Santo (12. 2%) and Ceará (9.4%). On the other hand, 12 Federation Units recorded negative rates, with highlights being: Paraíba (-14.8%), Roraima (-7.4%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-7.3%). The Federal District recorded stability (0.0%) for extented retail, in the interannual indicator.