Bars and restaurants advance for the tenth consecutive month
Of the 24 states analyzed, 23 showed growth in sales.
Sales in the bar and restaurant sector grew 12.1% in July compared to the same period last year. This result represents the tenth consecutive month with growth exceeding that of the previous year. On a monthly basis, the sector registered a 5.6% increase, according to data from the Abrasel-Stone Index.
“The result is extraordinary, and we need caution to understand some characteristics. In comparison, July of last year had one less weekend, and it didn't have the World Cup, like this year. So the growth occurred in relation to a lower potential base. But what matters is seeing consumption in the sector show resilience at a time when high interest rates and input inflation are putting pressure on already tight margins,” explains Paulo Solmucci, president of Abrasel.
According to Guilherme Freitas, economist and researcher at Stone, the sector's performance in July reinforces the resilience of bars and restaurants, even in the face of a still challenging economic environment. "The job market continues to support income and consumption, contributing to the sector maintaining a performance superior to that observed last year. At the same time, the high cost of credit and the pressure of inflation on family budgets remain important constraints on consumption," he states.
According to Freitas, continued growth will depend on how financial conditions evolve in the coming months. “July’s result is quite positive, with growth both in monthly and annual comparisons, and the tenth consecutive month at a level higher than the previous year. This performance shows still consistent demand, but it will be important to monitor future readings to understand how much this growth represents a consolidation of the sector’s activity level.”
Of the 24 states included in the survey, 23 showed growth in bar and restaurant sales in July, compared to the same period last year. The largest increases were recorded in Roraima (17.5%), Rio de Janeiro (16.4%), Bahia (15.9%), Espírito Santo (15.7%) and São Paulo (15.1%), followed by Pernambuco (13.7%), Rio Grande do Norte (12.4%), Paraíba (12.1%), Maranhão and Santa Catarina (both with 11%), Mato Grosso (10.8%), Minas Gerais (9.9%), Rondônia (9.8%), Mato Grosso do Sul (9.7%), Pará (9.3%), Paraná (8.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (8%), Ceará (5.9%), Piauí (5.7%), Alagoas (5.1%), Goiás (1.5%), Sergipe (1.4%) and Tocantins (0.5%).
On the other hand, only one state registered a contraction during the period, namely Amazonas (2.1%).
In the country's regions, the Southeast led with an average of 14.3%, supported by high results in three of the four states. Next came the Northeast (9.2%), impacted by internal dispersion between Bahia and Sergipe, and the South (9%), driven by Santa Catarina. The Central-West registered a 7.3% increase, limited by the performance of Goiás. The North showed the lowest growth among the others, with 7%.
The Abrasel-Stone Index is available on the Abrasel website and on Stone's content hub.