Brasília – Consumption at stores throughout Brazil was up 0.8% in May from April, indicating a slowdown in relation to 1.6% in April from March. The figures were taken from the Serasa Experian Retail Activity Indicator.
May-on-May, sales were up 5.2%, slightly lower the 5.4% rate recorded April-on-April. Year-to-date through May, sales were up 4.1%, as against 9.6% in the same period last year.
Serasa Experian economists have ascribed the lower sales to the “rising price of credit in virtually all modalities, to high inflation, and falling consumer confidence levels.”
The only sector whose sales grew more significantly in May from April was supermarkets, hypermarkets, foods and beverages, up 1.8%. Building material sales remained practically level, up 0.3%. Other retail segments saw declining sales: furniture, home appliances and computers (-2.3%); vehicles, motorcycles and their parts (-2%); fuels and lubrificants (-0.2%); and fabric, clothing, shoes and accessories (-0.2%).
Year-to-date through May, growth concentrated in fuels and lubricants (4.7%), followed by supermarkets, hypermarkets, foods and beverages (4.5%); construction material (4.4%); vehicles, motorcycles and their parts (1.8%); furniture, home appliances and computers (0.7%). The only segment where sales declined was fabric, clothing, shoes and accessories (-3.3%).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
