Commercial activity grew 3.09% in February of 2025

The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) informed that the Commerce sector increased by 3.09%, in February of 2025, compared to the same month of the last year. This behavior as driven by the wholesale commerce, retail commerce and automotive commerce.

In addition, it also informed that with this performance, the aforementioned sector accumulated during the first two months of 2025, a growth of 3.12%, compared to the same period of the last year.

During the month under analysis, the wholesale commerce increased 2.94% compared to the same month of the year 2024; driven by the branch of sale of heavy-duty machinery, drilling equipment excavators and pumps, for mining, construction and agriculture sectors. It also favorable evolved the sale of medical equipment.

The same trend registered the sale of household goods by registering greater transactions of pharmaceutical and medical products, perfumery articles, stationary, books by school campaign, devices of domestic use and tableware. In addition, it increased the sale of the following products of electronic security, medical supplies, nutritional products, equipment of personal security and industrial protection. Likewise, the sale of metals and metal ores (copper and Steel) was favoured.

In this line, it increased the sale of agricultural raw materials and live animals wholesale, sale of grains and seeds, as well as benefit birdlife. In parallel, it increased the commercialization of foods, beverages and tobacco associated to the greater portfolio of brands of food products and greater consumption of beverages and ice-creams.

The same trend registered the sale of liquid and gas fuels, lubricants and oils before the greater demand of the automotive park, as well as distributors of domestic gas. At the same time, the sale of computers, peripherical equipment, computer programs and printers due to the school campaign and new purchase orders.

During February of 2025, the retail commerce increased by 2.87% compared to the same month of the last year. In this context, it outstood the sales in supermarkets, hypermarkets and minimarkets, associated to the greater demand of foods, by summer season and advertising campaigns; as well as the sale of pharmaceutical and medicine, cosmetics and toiletries products, specially of products of skincare.

In addition, the retail sale of computers, peripherical equipment, computer programs and telecommunication equipment registered dynamism, due to the renovation of technological equipment on the occasion of the start of the academic year. The sale of household appliances, furniture, lighting fixtures and household items, showed dynamism before the greater demand of refrigeration equipment, fans, washing machines and similar articles.

Likewise, it increased the sale of articles of personal safety and protection, fire extinguishers, topographic accessories, thermometer, agro-chemical and veterinary products by placement in new markets. The sale of clothing items, footwear and leather articles also showed a positive evolution, within the framework of the school campaign.

Similarly, it was energized the sale of textile products, books, newspapers and stationary items before the continuity of the campaign “Back to School 2025”, which encouraged the acquisition of basic kits of school supplies and educational books. In addition, sale of fuels in refilling stations registered a positive behavior; meanwhile the sale in department stores, as well as the commercialization of hardware covers, paints and glass products.

During the second month of 2025, the automotive commerce registered a progress of 5.18% compared to the same month of 2024. This result was driven by the greater demand of light-duty vehicles (pick-up, trucks and sport trucks) and heavy-duty vehicles (minibuses, omnibus, tractor units and trucks), with support of advertising, opening of new facilities and campaigns targeted to this area.

At the same time, it increased the sale of parts, pieces and accessories of automotive vehicles, due to the transactions of pneumatics, lubricants and motor parts. In addition, it kept the positive trend the sale maintenance and repair of motorcycles and its parts, pieces and accessories, due to commercial strategies; as well as the maintenance and repair of automotive vehicles due to commercial management and new clients.