FX.co ★ South Africa Retail Sales Growth Stays Robust

In May 2025, South Africa experienced a 4.2% year-on-year increase in retail sales, marking a slight reduction from the previous month's upwardly revised growth of 5.2%. This figure narrowly missed market predictions of a 4.4% rise. The primary contributors to this growth were retailers specializing in textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods, which saw a significant increase of 12.5%, contributing 2.1 percentage points to the overall growth. Additionally, general dealers experienced a 3.6% rise, adding 1.6 percentage points. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales grew by 0.1% in May, which follows an upwardly revised 1.1% increase the previous month. Over the three months ending in May 2025, retail sales saw a 3.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024.