South Africa’s retail trade rose by 3.1% year-on-year in September 2025, accelerating from a downwardly revised 2.2% increase in August, almost in line with analysts' forecasts of 3%. Key contributors included general dealers, up 1.9% (+0.9 points); textile, clothing, footwear, and leather goods retailers, up 4.4% (+0.7 points); and household furniture, appliances, and equipment retailers, up 11.4% (+0.5 points). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail trade was flat in September, after a revised 1.6% decrease in the prior month. Retail trade sales rose by 3.6% in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the third quarter of 2024.