In October 2023, the volume of retail sales changed -0.3% compared to September, in the seasonally adjusted series, after growing 0.5% in the previous month. The quarterly moving average was 0.1%. In the non-seasonally adjusted series, retail trade changed 0.2% compared to October 2022, the fifth consecutive positive result. In the year, retail accumulates an increase of 1.6% compared to the same period in 2022. The cumulative increase in the last twelve months was 1.5%.

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces, construction material and wholesale specialized in food products, beverages and tobacco, the volume of sales changed -0.4% compared to the previous month, in the series without seasonal adjustment . The quarterly moving average for the extanded retail was 0.1% in the quarter ending in October 2023. In the non-seasonally adjusted series, the extended retail grew 2.5% compared to October 2022, the eighth consecutive positive result.

The cumulative result for the year was 2.4%, and, in twelve months, 1.8%.

The change of -0.3% in retail sales volume from September to October 2023, in the seasonally adjusted series, had a predominance of negative rates, affecting five of the eight activities surveyed: Office, computer and communication equipment and materials (-5.7%), Fabrics, apparel and footwear (-1.9%), Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (-0.8%), Fuels and lubricants (-0.7% ) and Furniture and household appliances (-0.1%).

On the other hand, between September and October 2023, three of the eight groups surveyed showed an increase: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (2.8%), Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (1.4%) and Other personal and household articles (0.2%). Extended retail trade presented two positive results: Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces, with 0.3% and Construction material, with 2.8%.

Compared to October 2022, six of the eight activities fell

In the comparison between October 2023 and October 2022, retail trade presented six sectors with negative results: Fuels and lubricants (-9.5%), Other personal and household articles (-8.4%), Office, computer and communication equipment and material (-6.8%), Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-4.8%), Fabrics, apparel and footwear (-3.4%) and Furniture and household appliances (-0.4 %).

On the other hand, two activities showed growth: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles (9.2%) and Hyper, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (1.9%). Including extended retail activities, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces had a result of 10.5%, Construction material grew 6.4% and Specialized wholesale in food products, beverages and tobacco had an increase of 8.8% in relation to October 2022.

The Fuels and lubricants activity fell 9.5% compared to October 2022, the fourth consecutive drop, and the biggest one, in the interannual comparison (-2.3% in July, -3.4% in August,
and -8.5% in September). It is worth mentioning that the upward trend of the activity in the volume indicator in the second half of 2022 was linked to the gasoline price reduction policy, which began in July 2022, increasing the basis for comparison. In the year to date it was 6.9% until September and 4.9% until October, reducing the pace of growth. The same happened in relation to the cumulative figure in the last twelve months, which went from 11.8% up to September to 7.9% up to October.

The group of Other personal and househlod articles for personal and domestic use, which includes department stores, opticians, jewelry stores, sporting goods, toy stores, among others, showed a drop of 8.4% in sales compared to October 2022, totaling 18 months of consecutive negative results. The sector has been suffering from the accounting crisis of large companies in the sector, which affects revenue results and it has been reducing the number of physical stores in the country. In the year, the cumulative losses, until October, is 11.3%, while in the last 12 months the result is also negative: -10.9%.

The group of Office, computer and communication equipment and materials fell 6.8% in October 2023 compared to the same month of the previous year, the first negative result after three months of increases (6.8% in July, 6 .3% in August and 3.8% in September). In the year, until October, the sector accumulated a result of 0.3%, below that established until September (1.2%). For the indicator of the last twelve months, the scenario is similar as it registered 0.2% until October, lower than the cumulative rate until September 2023 (1.5%).

Sales in the Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery sector fell 4.8% compared to October 2022, against -18.3% in September 2023 compared to September 2022. For this indicator, the sector totals nine consecutive months of falls. In relation to the cumulative result in the year up to October, the losses have the same intensity as up to September: -4.1%. In terms of cumulative results over the last twelve months, the scenario is also one of losses: from -2.2% until September to -3.3% until October 2023.

Sales of Fabrics, apparel and footwear fell 3.4% compared to October 2022, the third consecutive drop. In the ten months calculated in 2023, this indicator was positive in only two: January, with 2.4% and July, with 1.3% in relation to the same month of the previous year. The cumulative figures for the year are negative, but reducing the intensity of the falls: -7.5% in August, -7.0% in September and -6.7% in October. The scenario was the same for the last twelve months: -9.7% until August, -9.3% until September and -8.4% until October.

The Furniture and household appliances group showed a negative change (-0.4%) between October 2023 and October 2022, after rising 2.0% compared to September 2023 with the same month of the previous year. The cumulative indicator for the year until October 2023 shows gains of 1.0%, a stable level for three months (until August the accumulated value was 1.0% and until September 1.1%). For the last twelve months, up to October, the result was 1.1%, the third consecutive month to record gains (-0.3% up to July, 0.4% up to August and 1.0% up to September).

Sales in Pharmaceutical, medical and orthopedic articles grew 9.2% compared to October 2022, the eighth consecutive positive point of growth (the last month to record negative changes on an annual basis was February: -0.5%). In relation to the cumulative result for the year up to October, by going from 3.8% up to September to 4.3% in the reference month, the activity shows an increase in the pace of growth. In the last twelve months, the result of 4.2% until October 2023 is 0.4 pp higher than that accumulated until September.

The activity of Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco recorded its 15th consecutive month of growth for the interannual indicator: 1.9% in October. This growth is the smallest in the last five months: 3.2% in June, 2.9% in July, 5.8% in August and 7.1% in September, compared to the same month of the previous year. For the year, it accrued 3.3% until October, being stable for three months: 3.1% until August and 3.5% until September. In the last twelve months, the cumulative index was also positive until October (3.2%).

The activity of Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces, one of those that make up extended retail, showed growth of 10.5% in sales compared to October 2022, the sixth consecutive increase and the third in the period to present results with double-digit change (1.5% in May, 17.8% in June, 9.8% in July, 11.0% in August and 9.1% in September). Year-to-date, the indicator records gains throughout 2023, with an increase in intensity in recent months: 6.0% in July, 6.7% in August, 7.0% in September and 7.3 % in October). In the last twelve months, the series has been positive for five months: 0.6% in June, 2.2% in July, 3.6% in August to, 4.4% in September and 5.4% in October.

The Construction material group showed growth of 6.4% in sales volume compared to October 2022 for the first time after eight consecutive months of negative results in the interannual indicator. As a result, year-to-date losses decreased: -3.1% up to September versus -2.1% up to October. In the last twelve months, the result has been negative for 20 months, being -3.4% until October.

The Wholesale sector specialized in food, beverages and tobacco products, in the month-to-month comparison of the previous year, increased by 8.8% in October, the third consecutive year for this indicator. In the year to date, the scenario is stability (0.0%) until October, following a series of cumulative losses until September (-0.9%).

Retail accumulates an increase of 1.6% in the 5th two-month period of 2023

The fifth two-month period of 2023 showed growth of 1.6% in retail trade compared to the same two months of 2022, the seventh consecutive growth. Three activities registered growth: Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic articles and toiletries (7.9%), Hypermarkets and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (4.5%) and Furniture and household appliances (0.8%). On the other hand, five sectors showed a drop in the bimonthly comparison: Books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-11.8%), Fuels and lubricants (-9.0%), Other personal and household articles (-8.8 %), Fabrics, apparel and footwear (-3.0%) and Office, computer and communication equipment and materials (-1.8%).

In the scope of extended retail, the fifth two-month period showed an increase (2.7%) and positive changes for complementary activities: 9.8% for Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces, 0.2% for Construction material and 7.7% % for Specialized wholesale in food, beverage and tobacco products.

Sales decline in 17 Federation Units compared to September

In regional terms, the result of -0.3% in October compared to September 2023 for retail trade presented negative results in 17 of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights to: Rio de Janeiro (-2.0%), Santa Catarina (-1.4%) and Mato Grosso do Sul
(-1.3%). On the other hand, positive pressure is seen in 10 states, with highlights to Maranhão (3.1%), Bahia (1.9%) and Tocantins (1.9%).

For the same comparison, in extended retail trade, the change between September and October 2023 was -0.4% with negative results in 11 of the 27 Federation Units, with highlights to: Mato Grosso do Sul (-2.4% ), Rio de Janeiro (-2.3%) and São Paulo (-1.9%). On the other hand, exerting a postive impact are 14 states, with highlights to Rondônia (4.3%), Pernambuco (3.8%) and Tocantins (2.4%). Rio Grande do Norte and Mato Grosso remained stable (0.0%) from September to October.

Eleven of the 27 Federation Units register an increase compared to the previous year

Compared to October 2022, retail sales volume changed 0.2%, with positive results in 11 of the 27 Federation Units. Tocantins (12.6%), Maranhão (10.1%) and Ceará (9.1%) stood out. On the other hand, putting downward pressure are 15 states, notably Paraíba (-21.8%), Amapá (-13.7%) and Roraima (-7.5%). São Paulo presented stability (0.0%) in the interannual comparison.

In extended retail trade, the interannual indicator showed a change of 2.5%, with positive results in 16 of the 27 units of the federation, with emphasis on: Maranhão (19.5%), Ceará (13.0%) and Espírito Santo (9.9%). On the other hand, on a downward trend are 11 states, notably Paraíba (-12.8%), Mato Grosso do Sul (-12.6%) and Roraima (-11.7%).