By 
South Africa’s retail sector demonstrated continued resilience mid-year, backed by steady growth across key consumer categories. According to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), retail trade sales in real terms (constant 2019 prices) expanded by 2.3% year-on-year in May 2026.
The modest expansion reflects ongoing, measured optimism among consumers despite broader economic pressures.
Key Drivers Behind the Expansion
The year-on-year gains were primarily spearheaded by niche spending and strong demand in apparel:
- ‘Other’ Retailers: Leading the momentum, this category jumped 6.7% year-on-year, contributing 0.7 percentage points to total growth.
- Textiles, Clothing, Footwear, and Leather Goods: Fashion and apparel sales picked up significantly, rising 3.7% year-on-year and adding another 0.7 percentage points.
- General Dealers: Household staples maintained a positive trajectory, growing 1.0% year-on-year and contributing 0.4 percentage points.
Sequential Momentum and Medium-Term Trends
On a month-on-month basis, growth showed signs of stabilization. Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales edged up by 0.1% in May 2026 compared to April 2026. While this represents a slowdown from the sharper 0.8% month-on-month increase recorded in April, it matches the 0.1% gain seen in March, indicating a stable baseline of monthly trade activity.
Looking at the broader three-month picture, the trend remains comfortably positive:
Three-Month Outlook: For the three months ended May 2026, retail sales increased by 2.0% compared with the same period in 2025. The top drivers during this period were all ‘other’ retailers (up 6.2%, adding 0.7 percentage points) and general dealers (up 1.2%, adding 0.5 percentage points).
Compared to the preceding three months, seasonally adjusted sales rose by 0.3%, with ‘other’ retailers once again serving as the primary anchor for growth (up 1.5% and contributing 0.2 percentage points).
Overall, May’s figures point to a stable consumer landscape, underpinned by persistent demand for everyday goods and selective discretionary spend in apparel and specialized retail.
