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Johannesburg - Retail sales growth quickened to 6.1% year-on-year (y/y) in September at constant prices, compared with a 4.6% increase in August, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday.
Stats SA said retail sales grew by 6.2% in the three months to September, compared with the same period a year ago.
A Reuters poll on Monday showed economists expected September retail sales would be at 4.7% y/y.
Retail sales growth has been positive since January 2010, indicating that the demand side of the economy is on the mend.
The rate of recovery has fluctuated and in August there had been an unexpected drop.
Retail sales posted strong rises during the months of June and July, mostly boosted by the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Stats SA said that in September the highest real growth rate was recorded for retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (16.8%), followed by pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (11.0%) and textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8.6%).
The main contributors to the increase in the three months to September were general dealers (6.5% and contributing 2.5 percentage points), retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8.1% and contributing 1.5 percentage points) and retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (17.1% and contributing 1.0 percentage point).
Retail trade sales, at current prices, increased by 1.2% between August and September 2010.
Stats SA said retail sales grew by 6.2% in the three months to September, compared with the same period a year ago.
A Reuters poll on Monday showed economists expected September retail sales would be at 4.7% y/y.
Retail sales growth has been positive since January 2010, indicating that the demand side of the economy is on the mend.
The rate of recovery has fluctuated and in August there had been an unexpected drop.
Retail sales posted strong rises during the months of June and July, mostly boosted by the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Stats SA said that in September the highest real growth rate was recorded for retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (16.8%), followed by pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (11.0%) and textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8.6%).
The main contributors to the increase in the three months to September were general dealers (6.5% and contributing 2.5 percentage points), retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8.1% and contributing 1.5 percentage points) and retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (17.1% and contributing 1.0 percentage point).
Retail trade sales, at current prices, increased by 1.2% between August and September 2010.
