S.Africa's Massmart sales drop as COVID curbs, civil unrest weigh

(Reuters) - Massmart Holdings said on Friday its annual total sales dropped, dented by pandemic-related liquor trading restrictions, supply chain disruptions and as the South African retailer lost sales from stores damaged during the civil unrest last year.

The company's total group sales came in at 84.9 billion rand ($5.50 billion) in the 52-week period ended Dec. 26, 2021, a drop of 1.9% from year-ago numbers.

($1 = 15.4284 rand)

(Reporting by Shanima A in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)