In the seasonally-unadjusted series, volume of sales of the retail trade increased 2.5% in January 2024 over December. In the previous month, the change had been -1.4%. The quarterly moving average changed 0.4% in the quarter ended in January.

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, the retail trade rose 4.1% over January 2023, the eighth advance in a row. The cumulative index in the last 12 months changed 1.8%.

In the extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and construction

material, volume of sales grew 2.4% in the seasonally-adjusted series. The quarterly moving average was 0.8%, higher than that in the quarter ended in December (-0.1%).

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, which also includes wholesale specialized in food, beverages and tobacco, the extended retail grew 6.8%, accumulating a rise of 2.9% in 12 months.

In January, the Brazilian retail trade grew 2.5% compared with the previous month, after having registered a drop in December (-1.4%). It was the first rise since September 2023, when volume of sales grew 0.8%. After this, it recorded two stable months (-0.3% in October and 0.2% in November) and the drop in December. With the January´s result, trade was 0.8% below the record level in the time series of the survey, hit in October 2020, and 5.7% above the pre-pandemic level, registered in February 2020.

Five out of eight activities advanced in relation to December

In the seasonally-adjusted series, five out of eight activities surveyed recorded positive rates in January 2024: fabric, apparel and footwear (8.5%), office, computer and communication equipment and material (6.1%), other articles of personal and domestic use (5.2%), furniture and domestic appliances (3.6%) and hyper and supermarket, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.9%).

On the other hand, the other groups of retail activities registered negative rates between December and January: books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-3.6%), pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic  articles and toiletries (-1.1%) and fuels and lubricants (-0.2%).

The two additional activities that comprise the extended retail in this indicator behaved differently: vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces grew 2.8% and construction material changed -0.2% in volume.

Six retail activities advanced over January 2023

In relation to January 2023, six out of eight sectors investigated in the retail trade advanced: pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic  articles and toiletries (7.1%), hyper and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (6.4%), office, computer and communication equipment and material (4.3%), fabric, apparel and footwear (0.7%), fuels and lubricants (0.6%) and furniture and domestic appliances (0.3%).

The other two retreated in the same comparison: books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (-9.0%) and other articles of personal and domestic use (-2.2%).

In the extended retail trade, the three additional activities that are considered in the comparison with the same period a year ago recorded positive rates: vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (11.9%), construction material (0.4%) and wholesale of food products, beverages and tobacco (16.1%).

The sector of pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic  articles and toiletries grew 7.1% compared with January 2023, registering the highest magnitude among all the eight retail sectors and ranked in the 11th position of positive results in the inter-annual indicator. The last month with a negative result was February 2023 (-0.5%). In terms of the cumulative result over the last 12 months, this sector´s growth rate increased by changing from 4.7% up to December 2023 to 5.9% up to January 2024.

With a rise of 6.4% against January 2023, the sector of Hypermarkets and supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco completed, in January 2024, 18 consecutive months of positive changes in the inter-annual indicator. Having grown from the second semester of 2022 onwards, this sector registered its last rate on the negative side in July 2023 (-0.3%). In comparison with the last 12 months, the activity also recorded cumulative gains: 4.0% up to January 2024, a result that grows in relation to the level of 3.7% accumulated up to December 2023.

In the inter-annual comparison, the sector of office, computer and communication equipment and material grew 4.3% in relation to January 2023, after the result of -0.9% in December. Along the last 12 months, six registered negative results and six, positive results in this comparison. In terms of the cumulative index over the last 12 months, with a change from 2.0% up to December 2023 to 1.4% in January, the sector recorded a deceleration of growth.

The sector of fabric, apparel and footwear grew 0.7% in the inter-annual indicator in January 2024, the third positive figure (5.8% in November and 0.6% in December). The activity was among the ones with most cumulative losses in the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, with a later recovery in 2021, when it started to have cumulative gains in the indicator in the last 12 months, in a scenario that was kept up to November 2023, the last month to record a positive figure for this indicator. In the next 14 months, the cumulative index became negative and reached -4.7% in January 2024.

In January 2024, the sector of fuels and lubricants rose 0.6% in sales in relation to January 2023. This result was higher than that registered in December 2023, when it remained stable (0.1%) in the same comparison. Since July 2023, this sector has been showing negative results in relation to the same period in the previous year (-2.3% in July, -3.4% in August, -8.5% in September, -9.3% in October and -1.8% in November). When analyzing the cumulative index over the last 12 months, it is noticed that this sector lost pace over time: 11.8% up to September, 7.9% up to October, 5.7% up to November, 3.9% up to December 2023 and 2.2% up to January 2024.

The activity of furniture and domestic appliances changed 0.3% in sales over January 2023, after dropping 3.3% in December. Since July 2023, this sector has been switching down and up months: 3.3% in July, -1.2% in August, 2.0% in September, -0.4% in October and 5.3% in November. As for the indicator that compares the last 12 months, this sector also reported gains (0.6%), a result that has remained on the positive side since August 2023, when it had registered 0.4%.

The activity of books, newspapers, magazines and stationery fell 9.0% in the comparison between January 2024 and January 2023, the highest magnitude on the negative side since September 2023, when it recorded -18.3% in relation to the same month in the previous year. They were 12 consecutive drops in the previous indicator. In 12 months, this sector accumulated losses of 8.0% up to January 2024, below the level established in December (-4.6%).

Companies of other articles of personal and domestic use, a sector that comprises department stores, optical stores, jewelries, sports stores and toy stores, among others, recorded -2.2% over January 2023, the 21st consecutive drop, though the less intense in the inter-annual indicator in the entire period. Moreover, the cumulative indicator in the last 12 months continued to report losses (-10.5% for January 2024) since June 2022.

In the extended retail trade, the activity of vehicles and motorcycles, parts and accessories grew 11.9% in sales over January 2023, the eighth positive figure for this sector in the inter-annual base. The last month with a drop in this indicator had been April 2023 (-2.0%). The results in the cumulative index over the last 12 months reported growing gains: 7.3% up to November, 8.2% up to December 2023 and 8.7% up to January.

On the other hand, the sector of construction material registered a positive rate, after dropping in the previous month: 0.4% in January 2024 compared with January 2023 against -2.2% in December 2023. The sector was also a highlight due to its increase in the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, presenting positive results in the inter-annual indicator from June 2020 (22.6%) to June 2021 (5.4%) and starting a downward path up to July 2023 (only March 2023 and January reported positive figures: 1.2% and 1.1%). It accumulated -1.9% over the last 12 months as in the previous month: -1.8% up to December 2023.

Lastly, companies of wholesale specialized in food, beverages and tobacco rose 16.1% in January 2024 compared with January 2023, the sixth consecutive positive result and the highest value in the time series, started in January 2023. It recorded gains over the last 12 months (2.1% up to January).

Sales grow in 24 out of 27 FUs in relation to December

In the seasonally-adjusted series, the retail trade advanced 2.5% in January, with positive figures in 24 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Mato Grosso (8.6%), Bahia (6.2%) and Acre (4.7%). In contrast, three FUs pressed negatively:  Santa Catarina (-1.0%), Minas Gerais (-0.1%) and Maranhão (-0.1%).

In the same comparison, for the extended retail trade, the change between December 2023 and January 2024 was 2.4%, with positive results in 21 out of 27 Federation Units, the main highlight being: Tocantins (9.4%), Mato Grosso (8.7%) and Maranhão (7.3%). On the other hand, six out of 27 Federation Units marginally dropped, highlighted by Santa Catarina (-2.1%), Ceará (-1.9%) and Espírito Santo (-1.6%).

Sales rise in 25 out of 27 FUs in the annual comparison

The Brazilian retail trade advanced 4.1% in January 2023, with positive figures in 25 out of 27 Federation Units, highlighted by Amapá (16.8%), Mato Groso (11.9%) and Bahia (11.8%). In contrast, two FUs dropped: Paraíba (-2.3%) and Espírito Santo (-0.7%).

In the extended retail, 23 out of 27 FUs registered positive figures in the same comparison, highlighted by Maranhão (23.8%), Tocantins (18.2%) and Amapá (13.5%). In contrast, three states pressed negatively: Roraima (-5.2%), Espírito Santo (-4.2%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-2.6%). It remained stable in Acre (0.0%).