Skip to main content

SA retail sales up 2.3% in March

| Economic factors

Stats SA reports that retail trade sales increased by 2.3% year-on-year in February 2024. The largest contributor to this increase was general dealers (6.4% and contributing 2.8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1.4% in March 2024 compared with February 2024. This followed month-on-month changes of 1.0% in February 2024 and -3.3% in January 2024.

Retail trade sales decreased by 0.1% in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the first quarter of 2023.

The largest negative contributors to this decrease were: retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (-4.0% and contributing -0.7 of a percentage point); all ‘other’ retailers (-3.0% and contributing -0.4 of a percentage point); and retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-3.9% and contributing -0.3 of a percentage point).

The largest positive contributor was general dealers (2.7% and contributing 1.2 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0.9% in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the fourth quarter of 2023.

The largest negative contributor to the decrease was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (-8.9% and contributing -1.7 percentage points). The largest positive contributor was general dealers (2.0% and contributing 0.9 of a percentage point).

Pin It

Related Articles

South African motorists are set for another increase in fuel costs, with both petrol and diesel prices rising from Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
South African motorists are facing a potentially painful start to September, with the latest fuel price data pointing to substantial increases for both petrol and diesel.
By Jerome Jacobs, Managing Director: Grocery and Liquor at The SPAR Group South Africa's prolonged weak economic growth, continued high levels of unemployment, squeezed household budgets, and the escalating cost of living have transformed the way c…
Pick n Pay says its partnership with FNB eBucks is helping attract more shoppers and strengthen customer loyalty, with the retailer reporting double-digit year-on-year growth in FNB customers shopping in-store and through its asap! app.
South African motorists are set to face steeper fuel costs from Wednesday, 6 May, with increases in both petrol and diesel exceeding earlier projections.