Retail trade sales in January increased by 7.7% year-on-year to R76.9 billion, according to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA).
The January retail sales figure was higher than the upwardly revised 3.2% increase in December 2021, and it was also higher than market expectations of a 4.9% increase.
Retail activity increased for the fifth month in a row, and at the quickest rate since June last year.
According to StatsSA’s deputy director for distributive trade statistics Raquel Floris, general dealers, retailers of food, beverages and tobacco products in specialized stores, and textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods drove the year-on-year increase.
“Sales in food and beverages jumped by a significant 17.9% while clothing and textile stores recorded growth of 17.4%,” Floris said.
“[But] not all retailers recorded positive results in January. The hardware, paint and glass, pharmaceuticals, medical goods and cosmetics categories all registered a year-on-year decline in sales.”