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< What the Big Mac index says about the value of the rand
Monetary Fiscal Policy Mix >

A few interesting facts about South Africa's retail sector

Category: Economics and Retail Trade
Date: 15 May 2018

Related Topics

In today's blog we take a look at a few interesting facts regarding South Africa's retail sector. And while we aim to provide interesting facts and information regarding a wide variety of topics regarding South Africa, its economy and its stock market, today we have to give credit to South Africa's statistics agency, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), as the infographics presented in this blog was published by Statistics South Africa and we are happy to share it here.
Picture
  • SA vs The World
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A few facts and figures regarding South Africa's retail sector

The image below shows the percentage contribution to total retail sales per retail trade type in South Africa for 2017. Based on the retail trade sales data for 2017, retail sales in South Africa amounted to R1trillion for 2017, of which 44% was made up by general dealers (those shops that do not specialise in a specific type of product but rather sells a wide variety of items such as food, clothes, cleaning products, electronics all in the same store). Typical examples of this would be Makro, Pick n Pay, Checkers etc.
Picture
Retail stores specialising in clothing and textiles made up 18% of retail sales in 2018, while those who specialise in food and beverages made up 9% of retail sales in 2017. Pharmaceutical, cosmetics and toiletries stores such as Clicks and Dischem made up around 7% of total retail sales in  2017.

The image below takes a look at employment within the different retail types as per 2014/2015 data on the structure of the retail sector. As per the date of this, roughly 812 000 people worked in the retail industry in South Africa.

Of the 812 000 people employed in the sector, 37% of them were employed in non-specialsed stores (those stores that doesnt specialise in selling a specific type of product such as food and beverages for example). This would largely be made up by general dealers mentioned earlier such as Pick 'n Pay and Checkers.

Picture
While furniture and appliance stores only made up 4% of the total sales in 2017, they made up about 8% of total employment in the retail sector.  Textiles and clothing made up 18% of total sales in 2017 but in 2014/2015  the industry mad up 23% of total employment in the retail sector, showing this specific sector within retail is relatively labour intensive.

The next graphic takes a look at specific commodities being sold and their relative contribution to total sales in the retail sector.
Picture
As the image above shows the single biggest commodity being sold in the retail sector was meat (all types, beef, chicken, fish etc) made up 8.1% of all retail sales in 2014/215. The second biggest commodity was pharmaceutical products with 5.4% of total retail sale in 2014/2015. And no surprises here, female clothing was the third biggest commodity being sold in the retail sector in 2014/2015. 

Only kidding ladies we know you like to look good and that is why female clothing is the third biggest commodity being sold in the retail sector in 2014/2015

Let us know what you thought of this article:


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