South African retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices for March 2008 dipped for the first time this year and by the most this decade to –1.7 percent.

After two consecutive decreases at the end of 2007 sales picked up to 0.7 percent and 2.9 percent in January and February.

The negative growth rates for November 2007 compared with November 2006 (-0.2 percent) and December 2007 compared with December 2006 (-0.5 percent) were the first decreases in real terms in more than six years.

Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices for March 2008 showed a decrease of 1.7 percent compared with March 2007, the first annual negative growth rate reported for 2008. However, retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices, for the first quarter of 2008, showed an increase of 0.6 percent compared with the first quarter of 2007.

This is substantially lower than the 9.5 percent increase between the first quarter of 2007 compared with the first quarter of 2006, said Statistics South Africa.

Retail trade sales at current prices, for the first quarter of 2008, increased by 12.1 percent compared with the first quarter of 2007. This is lower than the 15.2 percent increase for the corresponding period of 2007, said Stats SA.

Furthermore, retail trade sales at current prices for March 2008 increased by 10.7 percent compared with March 2007.

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