SA retail sales fell 3,5% in January

Stats SA reports that South Africa's retail trade sales decreased by 3,5% year-on-year in January 2021.

Negative annual growth rates were recorded for: retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (-33,6%); all ‘other’ retailers (-15,1%); and general dealers (-6,0%).

The main negative contributors to this decrease were: retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (contributing -2,6 percentage points); and general dealers (contributing -2,5 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,6% in January 2021 compared with December 2020. This followed month-on-month changes of -0,8% in December 2020 and 2,0% in November 2020. In the three months ended January 2021, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,9% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales decreased by 2,9% in the three months ended January 2021 compared with the three months ended January 2020. The main negative contributor to this decrease was all ‘other’ retailers (-17,9% and contributing -2,1 percentage points).