La Jornada: Online sales drive marginal rise in retail trade

Retail trade in Mexico had a marginal growth of 0.1 percent in March, driven by digital channels, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).

The Monthly Survey on Commercial Companies details that in the annual measurement the indicator advanced 2.4 percent in March, after 3.2 percent in February, with seasonally adjusted figures.

The dynamism was concentrated in Internet and catalog sales, which grew 4.6 percent, as well as household goods, computers and decoration, with an increase of 3.1 percent. In contrast, the stationery and recreation category fell 6.39 percent; Groceries (-0.34 percent) and department stores (-0.42 percent) also fell.

According to Inegi, retail sales increased 2.9 percent with original figures (without calendar adjustment) due to the strong performance of digital channels (21.4 percent more) and discretionary goods, such as textiles (12.3 percent) and vehicles (5.5 percent). However, the sale of groceries, food, beverages, ice and tobacco fell 6.2 percent, and purchases in self-service and department stores fell 1.2 percent.

For their part, wholesale sales rose 6 percent monthly, after the one percent contraction in February, which accelerated their annual recovery to 8.1 percent.

“The weakness in basic consumption items such as groceries and self-service stores reflects the pressure that households continue to face in their purchasing power. This panorama is consistent with the marked weakness of private consumption and the contraction of domestic demand during the first quarter,” considered Valmex.

In March, with seasonally adjusted figures, real income from non-financial private services increased 0.4 percent compared to the previous month, after a monthly drop of 1.5 percent in February.

According to the Monthly Survey of Services – which includes the transportation, postal and storage sector – these contracted 1.4 percent annually in March; This was the third consecutive loss.

Cultural and sports leisure services and other recreational services fell 9.1 percent annually, while information in the mass media rose 2.7 percent annually.

With original figures, in the first quarter of 2026 services contracted 1.4 percent annually. Meanwhile, staff was reduced 1.5 percent and salaries rose 1.7 percent.

In turn, the construction industry stagnated in March and reported an annual drop of one percent.