Arnold Mokoena,MBA on LinkedIn: Shoprite first-half sales rise 14% (2024)

Early boost to retail sales at +3.5% up on last year for the 5 weeks ending 30 March or just a seasonal blip due to timing of Easter this year? While the numbers may seem promising, a closer look at the details reveals a stark contrast. Food sales at +6.8% drove the growth, while non-food sales (-1.9%) and online sales (-1.4%) performed poorly over the three months. With the economic outlook uncertain, many will be hoping for better weather to boost sales. Check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eSHqbSqk

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🎁 Shop sales rose by more than expected in November as #BlackFriday discounts boosted spending on toys and make-up ahead of #Christmas.#Retail sales volumes rose by 1.3pc in November, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which far exceeded analysts’ expectations of 0.4pc.Sales growth in October was also revised up to 0pc after the ONS previously said sales fell by 0.3pc.Darren Morgan, director of #economic statistics at the ONS, said: “Retail sales grew strongly in November as heavy Black Friday discounting encouraged shoppers to spend.”He added: “In the latest month, household goods retailers, clothing shops and department stores all reported robust sales, with computer stores, sports equipment, toy shops and cosmetics stores particularly benefitting from the impact of their Black Friday promotions.”Other non-food store sales, which include computers, toys, make-up and sports kit, rose by 2.6pc in November.Specialist food and drink stores also enjoyed a strong month as shoppers stocked up early for Christmas, Mr Morgan said. Specialty shops such as butchers and bakers recorded an 8.5pc jump in sales.But Mr Morgan warned: “It’s still a challenging time for retailers.”On a quarterly basis, retail #sales fell by 0.8pc in the three months to November. Sales were also still below pre-pandemic levels.Non-food sales volumes were down by 2.7pc compared to pre-lockdown.Read more ⤵️https://lnkd.in/e2kPUSUM

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A recent article by the BBC states that the retail industry faced a tough blow as UK retail sales plunged by 3.2% in December, the sharpest decline since the pandemic outbreak.The news outlet has said that the decline in December sales was due to shoppers taking advantage of early Black Friday deals, and 'fewer large family gatherings' during the festive period.What do you think about this story?#UK #News #Retail #Businesses #WeAreDuncanToplis

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March nonstore retailer sales outpaced overall retail sales (excluding motor vehicles, parts and gas stations). Year-over-year nonstore retailer sales were up 4.25% compared to overall retail sales up 3.64%. Month-to-month nonstore retailer sales increased 2.7% while overall retail sales increased less than 1%, +0.7%. YTD nonstore retailer sales are up 8.7% (not adjusted)YTD Retail sales are up 2.8% (not adjusted)Marketplace - Retail sales climbed to a higher-than-expected 0.7% in March - https://lnkd.in/ejArCTBuAs defined by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonstore retailers include mail-order houses, vending machine operators, home delivery sales, door-to-door sales, party plan sales, electronic shopping, and sales through portable stalls (e.g., street vendors, except food). Establishments engaged in the direct sale (i.e., nonstore) of products, such as home heating oil dealers and newspaper delivery service providers are included in this subsector. https://lnkd.in/ebeJ3KpDRecent US e-commerce news:💻 Canadian last-mile provider and partner to Shein, UniUni raised US$50 million in an oversubscribed Series C financing round led by global venture capital firm DCM. "These funds will be used to further develop our proprietary tech stack that powers our logistics platform and to grow our network of sorting centers as we continue to expand delivery coverage across the United States," said UniUni CEO Peter Lu. https://lnkd.in/gyBS_nM5 and https://lnkd.in/esGZ9Npr💻 A ShipStation and Retail Economics survey found that 73% of consumers, are blending online research, physical store visits and options such as buy-online and in-store pickup before making a purchase. 448 billion in online sales across the U.S. and Canada are dependent on physical touchpoints like in-store browsing, buy-online, in-store pickup, or in-person returns, accounting for 41% of total online sales in these regions. https://lnkd.in/esvqdT4y- Cathy

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What are your customers—and their wallets—prioritizing this summer? This great story from Progressive Grocer takes a look at sales numbers and how consumers increasingly look for new ways to save.Do you feel your shoppers are "cautiously optimistic"? Let us know in the comments below!#ecommerce #retail #grocerytech #onlineshopping #groceries #sales #consumersentiment #inflation

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The Retail Monitor Report for November – excluding automobile sales, restaurant, and gas station receipts – shows retail sales were up 0.73% from October, and up 4.17% year over year.November is a crucial month for retail sales with holiday season promotions ramping up ahead of Thanksgiving and continuing through the Christmas holiday.#retailsales #holiday2023

NIQ Total Till sales growth for the 4 weeks to 18th May at +3.3% was similar to April (+3.4%) but the driver of growth has switched quickly from inflation to the weather. Changes in the weather (alongside events) always moves the dial in shopping behaviour, and the brief interlude of summer in mid-May was no exception with a 2-month high in growths at the major supermarkets, of +5.1% in the week ending 11th May. It was also a good month for online grocery with orders up +4.1% and share of fmcg back to 13%. Over the last 12 weeks, Ocado (+12.4%) is still the fastest growing retailer and sales were also strong for Sainsbury’s (+6.0%) and Tesco (+5.4%). Growth at M&S slowed to +7.6% due to last year’s high comparatives. Aldi and Lidl are also experiencing slowing sales. In fact, Discounter market share has plateaued a 18.1% and is unchanged from a year ago. Asda was the only retailer where sales declined (-2.7%) but there were more visits per shopper to Asda than a year ago with footfall helped by the new Asda Express convenience stores. We can expect Asda to return to growth by the end of the summer as they extend their shopper reach, grow basket spend again in their large stores (helped by the Aldi and Lild price match but also new ranges) and as the comparatives get easier. With food inflation expected to remain at around 3% for the next few months and despite many shoppers still facing limits to their discretionary spend, we now have a summer of sport to look forward to with at least 45% of UK households interested in the Euro 2024 tournament this month. Of these, 69% plan to watch the matches at home by themselves or with other household members. (NIQ Homescan Survey). So this could be a bonanza for supermarket sales of drinks, snacks, and food for barbeques. Whatever the weather …or the results !

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Retail sales fell 3.2% in December 2023, down from a rise of 1.4% in November 2023.Commenting on today’s retail sales figures for October, Heather Bovill Deputy Director for Surveys and Economic Indicators at the ONS said 💬“Following a strong November, retail sales plummeted in December with all types of outlets being hit. This was the largest overall monthly fall since January 2021, when the reintroduction of pandemic restrictions knocked sales heavily. Food stores performed very poorly, with their steepest fall since May 2021 as early Christmas shopping led to slow December sales. Department stores, clothing shops and household goods retailers reported sluggish sales too as consumers spent less on Christmas gifts, but had also purchased earlier during Black Friday promotions, to help spread the cost. The longer-term picture remains subdued, with quarterly sales dipping, while annual sales volumes fell for the second consecutive year, to their lowest level in five years.” ➡️ https://lnkd.in/epmv7sWA

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How did retail sales do at the start of 2024? Pretty well, we think! 🙌🏻January saw the biggest monthly growth since April 2021, with a 3.4% jump in retail volumes. From food to non-food sectors, the market is buzzing. 📈It's great to see the retail sector come back, and we hope to see more over the course of the year. What's on your shopping list? Let us know in the comments. #Retail #eCommerce #RetailSales #OnlineShopping

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Behind the optimistic headlines of 3.5% YoY growth in UK retail sales in March, the picture is less rosy. According to a recent British Retail Consortium report, the growth is mainly driven by the food sector, which saw a 6.8% increase due to early Easter and inflation. Non-food sales in physical stores, however, remain flat and down 1.1% so far this year. Leaving many retailers out there praying for sun! Check out the link below for more details.https://lnkd.in/eFCcftxt

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