Retail sales in South Africa increased by 1.6% year-on-year in June 2026, slowing from a downwardly revised 2.2% rise in May and falling short of market expectations for a 2.3% gain. The loss of momentum was evident in pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries, where sales growth moderated to 1.4% from 1.8% in May. Sales of hardware, paint and glass, as well as textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods, declined by 4% and 2.2%, respectively.
In contrast, several categories performed strongly. Sales of household furniture, appliances and equipment accelerated to 8.5% from 7.6%, while “all other retailers” saw growth pick up to 7.5% from 6.4%. Food, beverages and tobacco sales rebounded to a 3% increase from a 0.2% decline, and general dealers recorded growth of 1.8%, up from 0.9%.
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, retail sales contracted by 0.6% in June, following a revised flat reading in May. For the second quarter of 2026 as a whole, retail trade sales were up 1.7% compared with the same quarter in 2025.
