Stats SA reports that South African retail trade sales increased by 0.9% year-on-year in September 2023.
The largest positive contributors to this increase were retailers in: textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (13.5% and contributing 2.0 percentage points); and food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (2.0% and contributing 0.2 of a percentage point).
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0.1% in September 2023 compared with August 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of 0.3% in August 2023 and 0.5% in July 2023.
Retail trade sales decreased by 0.1% in the third quarter of 2023 compared with the third quarter of 2022.
The largest negative contributors to this decrease were: general dealers (-2.8% and contributing -1.3 percentage points); and retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-5.8% and contributing -0.5 of a percentage point).
Retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods were the largest positive contributors (11.8% and contributing 1.9 percentage points).
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0.8% in the third quarter of 2023 compared with the second quarter of 2023.
The largest positive contributors were retailers in: textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (5.2% and contributing 1.0 percentage point); and household furniture, appliances and equipment (1.6% and contributing 0.1 of a percentage point).
