Rio de Janeiro – Brazil’s retail trade sales stepped up a month-on-month 0.9% in November 2021 from a 0.2% increase in October. Nevertheless, five out of the eight activities surveyed posted negative figures in the month. Retail posted a 1.9% increase year to date through November last year. The figures are from the Monthly Trade Survey (PMC) made public on Friday (14) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The survey shows that the 0.9% increase in the volume of sales in hypermarkets, supermarkets, foodstuff, beverages and tobacco contributed to the November’s result. “That’s the main contribution to the overall results, this positive change,” the survey’s manager Cristiano Santos said.
An increase in the sales of pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic, perfumery and cosmetic products (1.2%) and other household and personal care effects (2.2%) was also seen.
On the other hand, sales of furniture and electronics decreased by 2.3%, so did fabrics, clothing and footwear (1.9%), fuels and lubricants (1.4%) and books, newspapers, magazines and stationery (1.4%).
Office, computer and communication equipment and supplies were also down by 0.1%, which the IBGE sees as stability.
Black Friday
Santos pointed out that 2021’s Black Friday was much less intense in terms of sale volume than the previous year’s. The sale season was better in 2020, particularly for larger retail chains, he said. “This is partially due to the inflation but also to a change in the consumer profile, as some purchases were made in October or even the first half of the year, when there was a larger availability of credit and discounts. This moved up the Black Friday somehow for some chains,” he said.
In November the volume of expanded retail trade sales, including vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces and building materials, was up 0.5%. According to the survey, the result was influenced by the good figures for vehicles, motorcycles, parts and pieces (0.7%) and building materials (0.8%), following negative results of 0.4% and 0.8% respectively in the previous month.
Year on year
Year on year, retail trade was down 4.2% from November 2020. Out of the eight activities surveyed, seven saw negative figures. The highlights were furniture and electronics (-21.5%), fuels and lubricants (-7.1%), other household and personal care items (-2.6%), and fabrics, clothing and footwear (-4.4%).
Year on year, the hypermarket, supermarket, foodstuff, beverage and tobacco (-0.5%), office, computer and communication equipment (-5.6%) and book, newspaper, magazine and stationery (-14.4%) segments were also down.
Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic, perfumery and cosmetic products were the only activity that grew in November (2.5%) year on year. In the extended retail trade, the vehicle, motorcycle, parts and pieces sector stepped up by 1.7% year on year, while building materials were down 4.1%.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
