Canada’s retail sales rose 1.2 percent in August to 74.6 billion Canadian dollars, with gains in all nine subsectors. Sales volumes increased at the same pace, while core sales excluding motor vehicles and fuel rose 1.1 percent. An early estimate pointed to further growth in September, although it remains subject to revision.
Canada’s retail sales increased 1.2 percent in August from July, with growth across all nine subsectors. Motor vehicle and parts dealers made the largest contribution in dollar terms.[1], [2]
Seasonally adjusted sales reached 74.6 billion Canadian dollars. Price-adjusted volumes also increased 1.2 percent. Core sales, excluding motor vehicles and fuel, rose 1.1 percent after declining 0.7 percent in July.[1]
Fuel retailers’ sales values rose 1.7 percent, while volumes declined 0.5 percent. New car sales increased 1.5 percent after falling 1.4 percent in July. Food and beverage retailers grew 1.1 percent, general merchandise retailers 1 percent, and health and personal care retailers 1.6 percent. The last group recorded its tenth consecutive monthly increase.[1]
The advance estimate indicated a 0.7 percent sales increase in September and remains subject to revision. It used responses from 58.5 percent of surveyed companies, compared with an average final response rate of 86.8 percent over the preceding twelve months. In August, e-commerce sales rose 1.1 percent to 5.6 billion Canadian dollars, representing 7.6 percent of total retail sales.[1]
