SA retail sales rise by 2,2% in May

South African retail trade sales increased by 2.2% year-on-year in May, Stats SA said in a report, better than a Reuters forecast for a 1.6% expansion.

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The largest annual growth rates were recorded for general dealers (4,0%); retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (3,2%); retailers in pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (2,9%); and retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (2,7%).

The main contributor to the 2,2% increase was general dealers (contributing 1,7 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,1% in May 2019 compared with April 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,0% in April 2019 and -0,6% in March 2019. In the three months ended May 2019, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,1% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales increased by 1,7% in the three months ended May 2019 compared with the three months ended May 2018. The main contributors to this increase were general dealers (2,6% and contributing 1,1 percentage points); and retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (2,1% and contributing 0,4 of a percentage point).