Cape Town – Retail sales grew 3.4% year-on-year in April, Statistics SA said on Wednesday.
The highest annual growth rates were recorded for retailers in hardware, paint and glass (8.7%); and pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (6.7%).
“The main contributors to the 3.4% increase were general dealers (contributing 1,3 percentage points) and retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (contributing 0.7 of a percentage point).
According to Stats SA seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0.2% month-on-month in April. This followed month-on-month changes of -0.4% in March 2015 and 1.6% in February 2015.
Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1.3% in the three months ended April 2015 compared with the previous three months.
“Retail trade sales increased by 3.2% in the three months ended April 2015 compared with the three months ended April 2014. The main contributors to this increase were: general dealers (2.8% and contributing 1.2 percentage points); and retailers in hardware, paint and glass (9.7% and contributing 0.7 of a percentage point).”