Food sales grow 8% in July year on year, survey shows

A monthly survey by the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (ABRAS), released this Thursday (8), points out that in July, food consumption in Brazilian homes increased by 8.02%, compared to the same month last year.

Compared to June this year, the increase was 7.75%. In 2022, consumption in homes accumulates a high of 2.57%.

According to the survey, the average price of food in supermarkets grew by 0.63%. The variation of the indicator is the lowest of 2022.

The biggest monthly drops in prices came from horticultural products, which suffered from climate impacts. Among them, tomato (-23.68%), potato (-16.62%) and onion (-5.55%).

The survey also detected a fall in prices of basic products such as soybean oil (-2.41%), which for the second consecutive month had retraction, for beans (-1.69%) and rice (-0.60%).

Dairy products showed some of the biggest price increases in July. Long milk, for example, had a high of 25.46%.

Derivatives of the product were also more expensive, such as powdered milk (+5.36%), mozzarella cheese (+5.28%), cheese (+5.18%).

The association lists different reasons for the maintenance of food consumption in Brazilian households, such as the drop in the values ​​of items that had increased in previous months, due to climatic and seasonal factors and variations in the values ​​of commodities.

In addition, Abras reinforces that there were five weekends in July, compared to the fourth in June, which contributed to a greater number of visits to the point of sale.

The association also predicts a trend of growth in consumption in the second half of the year, given the possible fall in inflation, the growth of jobs and resources injected into the Brazilian economy.

Abras cites, for example, the release of funds from the benefits package, approved by the National Congress, called “PEC Kamikaze” by opposition parliamentarians.

Basic basket

According to the Associação Brasileira de Supermercados, in July, the average value of the national basket, made up of 35 items such as food, beverages, meat and cleaning, beauty and personal hygiene products, went from R$773.44 to R$773.44. 778.32.

The increase was driven by increases registered in the South, Southeast and Center-West regions. On the other hand, basket prices dropped in the North and Northeast.