Retail Momentum: South Africa’s Sales Climb 3.9% Year-on-Year in February

South Africa’s retail sales rose 3.9% year-on-year in February 2025, down from a strong 7% growth in January. The slowdown reflects a normalization in consumer spending following the seasonal boost at the start of the year.

General dealers and household goods saw softer gains, while sales declined across key categories such as food, beverages, and tobacco (-3.7%), hardware and glass (-4.1%), and pharmaceuticals (-0.7%). In contrast, textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods surged by 15.7%, continuing their upward trend.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, monthly retail trade fell by 1.3% in February, following a revised 0.7% increase in January. Still, the sector maintained a 4.4% year-on-year increase over the three months ending in February.

The data suggests a more cautious consumer environment, highlighting the need for agile supply chain planning and targeted inventory strategies in the months ahead.