Retail sales increased 0.2% in August compared to July, breaking a sequence of four negative results. Compared to August 2024, this positive result (0.4%) is the fifth consecutive. Year-to-date, retail sales accumulated growth of 1.6%. The 12-month cumulative growth was 2.2%, the lowest growth rate since January 2024, despite being the 35th positive retail result in this comparison: the last month to register a negative result was September 2022 (-0.7%). The data are from the Monthly Survey of Trade (PMC), released today (15) by the IBGE.

In extended retail trade, which includes vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories, construction materials, and wholesale of food, beverages, and tobacco products, the volume of sales grew 0.9% in August compared to July. Compared to August 2024, there was a 2.1% drop, completing three months of losses. Year-to-date and over12 months, extended retail sales accumulated -0.4% and 0.7%, respectively.

Survey manager Cristiano Santos explains that retail presents a scenario of sustained high base, as March marks the peak of the seasonally adjusted series. "We must remember that these are five consecutive months with very low changes, very close to zero, both upward and downward. What changes is that the sequence of four small changes, but in a downward trend, was already making a difference to the peak of the March series, in terms of level. Thus, as August came, we observe that this difference stoped widening," he comments.

The survey shows positive growth rates from July to August in five of the eight sectors. Office, computer, and communication equipment and material (4.9%), Textiles, apparel and footwear (1.0%), and Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic, and perfumery articles (0.7%) were the three sectors responsible for the positive growth rate in August. The other two positive growth rates were in Furniture and household appliances (0.4%) and Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages and tobacco (0.4%).

"Computer products were strongly influenced by the dollar, which depreciated sharply in August," explains Mr. Santos. The Textiles, apparel and footwear sector recovered in August after a decline in July, mainly due to apparel, but with gains also in footwear. The Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles sector grew for the second consecutive month, with the greatest influence from the personal hygiene and cosmetics products subsector.

Negative rates were recorded for Books, newspapers, magazines, and stationery (-2.1%), Fuels and lubricants (-0.6%), and Other personal and household articles (-0.5%).

In extended retail, Vehicles and motorcycles, parts, and accessories increased by 2.3%, while Construction materials changed by 0.1%. The result of Wholesale of food, beverage, and tobacco products is not disclosed in this comparison because there are not enough months for the seasonal adjustment modeling.

Six of the eight activities had positive results compared to August 2024

Year-over-year, retail recorded growth for the fifth consecutive month. Three sectors stood out, each adding 0.2 percentage points to the 0.4% retail total. The first, Furniture and household appliances (2.7%), shows continued growth. "We have a robust recovery trajectory after a more limited 2024," comments Mr. Santos.

Next comes the Pharmaceutical, medical, orthopedic and perfumery articles sector (2.3%), adding up to thirty months of growth. Mr. Santos assesses that it is a very strong sector: “It’s the fastest-growing of all sectors for over two years.”

The third highlight is Other personal and household articles (2.1%), which completes five consecutive months of positive results, after a 6.2% decline in March 2025.

The other positive rates were Textiles, apparel and footwear (0.7%), Books, newspapers, magazines, and stationery (0.5%), and Fuels and lubricants (0.4%).

The Hypermarkets, supermarkets, food products, beverages, and tobacco sector, with -0.5% year-over-year, saw close to zero changes in the last four months: 0.5% in May, -0.3% in June, and 0.4% in July. “For the year, the outlook is for gains, but decreasing: 2.0% up to April, 1.7% up to May, 1.4% up to June, 1.2% up to July, and 1.0% up to August,” Mr. Santos points out. “The same is true for the cumulative rate over the last 12 months, which went from 3.4% up to April to 1.5% up to August 2025, the lowest rate observed in the 12-month cumulative rate since February 2023 (1.5%).

The other negative change occurred in the Office, computer and communication equipment and material sector, with a loss of 0.7%.

In extended retail, the three additional activities showed declines. Vehicles and motorcycles, parts and pieces (-7.7%) had the greatest influence on the overall composition of the rate, adding -1.4 percentage points to the total of -2.1% for extended retail, and registering three consecutive months of declines. Construction materials (-6.1%) registered its third consecutive decline, and Wholesale specialized in food, beverages, and tobacco products (-1.9%) saw a decline, in the year-over-year indicator, for the 13th consecutive month.

Retail trade has positive rates in 16 of the 27 Federation Units

In From July to August 2025, in the seasonally adjusted series, retail had positive results in 16 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to Rio Grande do Norte (2.6%), Maranhão (2.5%) and Paraíba (1.9%). Negative results apeared in 11 of the 27 Federation Units, with a highlight to Amapá (-4.3%), Rondônia (-1.5%), and Espírito Santo (-1.2%).

Rio Grande do Norte recorded its eighth consecutive positive rate, the most intense among these. Mr. Santos says that the highlight is the Hypermarket, supermarket, food, beverage, and tobacco sector. "One of the major contributions in this case comes from the expansion in the number of establishments, with a corresponding increase in revenue observed starting in August."

Maranhão, in turn, recorded its third consecutive increase, after 0.5% in June and 0.1% in July, due to deals in hypermarkets and supermarkets.

In extended retail trade, the change between July and August 2025 showed positive results in 13 of the 27 Federation Units, notably Goiás (4.8%), Maranhão (2.3%), and Rio Grande do Norte (2.2%). With negative rates are 13 of the 27 Federation Units, notably Amapá (-4.8%), Rondônia (-2.9%), and Amazonas (-2.5%).

Goiás (4.8%) posted its third consecutive increase, after 0.5% in June and 1.4% in July. The main positive contribution came from the Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories. According to Mr. Santos, in Maranhão (2.3%), even considering extended retail, the main impact came from the Hypermarket and supermarket sector, both due to its weight and the growth itself. The Vehicles, motorcycles, parts and accessories sector also contributed positively to the result.

Compared to August 2024, retail sales showed positive results in 16 of the 27 Federation Units, notably Rio Grande do Norte (7.3%), Maranhão (4.3%), and Paraíba (4.0%). Conversely, there were 11 negative rates, notably in Tocantins (-9.2%), Piauí (-4.2%), and Roraima (-2.1%).

In extended retail, the change in the volume of sales was -2.1%, with negative results in 16 of the 27 Federation Units, notably: Piauí (-5.3%), São Paulo (-4.3%), and Minas Gerais (-3.8%). Conversely, there were 11 positive regional results, notably in Mato Grosso (6.1%), Acre (3.2%), and Maranhão (2.9%).

More about the survey

The PMC produces indicators that allow monitoring the current performance of retail trade in the country, investigating gross resale revenue in formally constituted companies with 20 or more employees, and whose main activity is retail trade.

Launched in 1995, the PMC provides monthly results on changes in sales volume and nominal revenue for retail and extended retail (vehicles and construction materials) for Brazil and Federation Units. The results can be found on Sidra. The next PMC release, with results for September 2025, will be on November 13th.