South African retail trade sales show 3.9% growth

South African retail sales rose 3.9% year on year in February, according to data published by Stats SA...

17 Apr 2025

Source: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko/

Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales increased by 3,9% year-on-year in February 2025.

The largest positive contributors to this increase were:

retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (15,7% and contributing 2,3 percentage points); and

general dealers (3,4% and contributing 1,6 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,3% in February 2025 compared with January 2025. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,7% in January 2025 and 0,0% in December 2024.

Retail trade sales increased by 4,4% in the three months ended February 2025 compared with the three months ended February 2024. The largest positive contributors to this increase were:

retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (10,1% and contributing 1,9 percentage points); and

general dealers (4,1% and contributing 1,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,3% in the three months ended February 2025 compared with the previous three months. The largest contributor was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (4,6% and contributing 0,8 of a percentage point).