Income

The total income for the retail trade industry in 2018 was R1 008,7 billion. The total income represents an increase of 7,1% per annum over the income reported in the corresponding survey of 2015 (R821,5 billion). Comparing 2015 and 2018, large increases were reported for ‘non-specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating’ (+R67,8 billion) and ‘textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods’ (+R41,6 billion). 

Profit margin

The profit margin for the retail trade industry in 2018 was 2,4%. ‘Second-hand goods in stores’ had the highest profit margin at 4,8%, followed by ‘household furniture, appliances, articles and equipment’ at 3,9% and ‘hardware, paints and glass’ at 3,5%. ‘Repair of personal and household goods and retail trade not in stores’ had the only negative profit margin in the industry at -5,0% in 2018.

 Employment

The total number of persons employed in the retail trade industry as at the end of June 2018 was 795 841. ‘Non-specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating’ employed the largest number of persons (305 442 or 38,4%), followed by ‘textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods’ (176 668 or 22,2%).

Formal employment increased from 621 035 in 2009 to 795 841 in 2018 (a gain of 174 806 jobs). The biggest gain in persons employed between 2009 and 2018 was in ‘non-specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating’ (+121 098 persons), followed by ‘textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods’ (+45 540). The biggest loss in employment during the same period was in ‘household furniture, appliances, articles and equipment’ (-27 288 jobs).