BER Retail Survey

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Retail
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BER Retail Survey

A quarterly report on the results, as well as implications, of the latest BER survey in the trade sectors (retail, wholesale and motor trade). Released in advance of official indicators of activity, it provides reliable and up-to-date information on current trends and a valuable perspective on the outlook for the sector.

Apart from business confidence, the survey data highlights current trends in business conditions, sales volumes and selling prices. In addition, the analysis of the retail trade sector provides detail on the durable, semi-durable and non-durable goods sectors and consumer and non-consumer goods for the wholesaler sector. Motor trade results are separated between new and used vehicles.

Regional perspectives for three main provinces (Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng) are also provided.

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Retail Survey, 2023Q4

Date Uploaded: December 11 2023 10:00


Having edged up from a three-year low of 20 to 32 during the third quarter, the percentage of retailers reporting that they are satisfied with prevailing business conditions increased further to 47 in the fourth quarter – the highest reading since 2022Q3. The uptick in retailer confidence appears to be driven by improvements in profitability and general business conditions.