Retail sales up a measly 0,2% in March

Retail trade sales increased by 0,2% year-on-year in March 2019, according to the latest figures from Stats SA. This was an increase of R85.93bn in March compared to R83.61bn in March 2018.

Positive annual growth rates were only recorded for retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (1,9%); general dealers (1,8%); and
all ''other'' retailers (1,5%). Sales for food and beverages as well as pharmaceutical retailers were the hardest hit.

The main contributor to the 0,2% increase was general dealers (contributing 0,8 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,7% in March 2019 compared with February 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,6% in February 2019 and 1,6% in January 2019. In the first quarter of 2019, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,7% compared with the previous quarter.

Retail trade sales increased by 1,0% in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the first quarter of 2018. The main contributors to this increase were general dealers (1,5% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point); and retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (1,8% and contributing 0,3 of a percentage point).