South Africa, June 3 -- NielsenIQ (NIQ) South Africa has released its State of the Retail Nation analysis* for the first quarter of 2026, reflecting robust above-inflation growth in retail sales value and volume. South African consumers spent more than R173.6bn on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) through traditional and modern trade channels during the period under review. Sales value increased 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year, while unit sales were up 9.1%.

In the technology and durables (T&D) market, unit sales growth outpaced value growth during the quarter as average selling prices declined. Affordability became the most important factor in consumers' purchasing decisions, bringing sales value down across nearly all categ...