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Retail trade, March 2016

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Released: 2016-05-20

Retail sales

$43.8 billion

March 2016

-1.0% 

(monthly change)

Following gains in January and February, retail sales decreased 1.0% in March to $43.8 billion. Sales were down in 6 of 11 subsectors, representing 74% of total retail trade.

In volume terms, retail sales declined 1.3%.

Chart 1  Chart 1: Retail sales down in March
Retail sales down in March

The largest decrease in dollar terms in March was a 2.9% decline at motor vehicle and parts dealers. This was largely attributable to a 3.0% drop at new car dealers, while other motor vehicle dealers (-5.3%) and used car dealers (-3.7%) also declined. Conversely, sales at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores (+2.5%) increased for the fifth time in six months.

Following a 3.1% increase in February, sales at furniture and home furnishings stores decreased 3.7% in March, as both home furnishings stores (-6.6%) and furniture stores (-2.0%) reported lower sales.

Sales at gasoline stations (-1.1%) continued their downward trend in March. Sales in this subsector have declined for nine consecutive months to reach their lowest level since August 2010.

Receipts at food and beverage stores were down 0.4% in March. Supermarkets and other grocery stores (-0.4%) and specialty food stores (-1.3%) reported lower sales for the second time in three months. After increasing 3.2% in February, sales at beer, wine and liquor stores edged down 0.1%, while convenience store sales were relatively unchanged in March.

Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-0.7%) declined for the second time in eight months, more than offsetting the gain in February.

General merchandise store sales (+0.4%) advanced for the third consecutive month.

Sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores rose 0.8% in March. Higher sales at clothing stores (+1.6%) more than offset lower sales at jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores (-5.5%). Following increases in January (+7.3%) and February (+3.6%), sales at shoe stores increased 0.8% in March.

Higher sales were also posted at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (+0.5%) and electronics and appliance stores (+0.1%).

Sales down in nine provinces

Retail sales were down in nine provinces in March.

Ontario (-0.8%) reported the largest decrease in dollar terms, due in large part to weaker sales at new car dealers and gasoline stations.

Receipts in Quebec declined 1.0%, largely as a result of weaker sales at new car dealers and other motor vehicle dealers.

Following gains in January and February, sales decreased 1.1% in British Columbia because of weaker sales at new car dealers and gasoline stations.

Receipts in Alberta (-0.9%) decreased for the sixth time in seven months. Excluding lower sales at new car dealers, retail sales in Alberta increased.

New Brunswick (-3.0%) posted its first decrease in three months. Sales were down across most store types.

Prince Edward Island was the only province to record an increase in March, with sales up 0.8%.

Summary tables of unadjusted data by industry and by province and territory are now available from the Summary tables module of our website.

For information on related indicators, refer to the Latest statistics page on our website.



  Note to readers

All data in this release are seasonally adjusted and expressed in current dollars, unless otherwise noted. For information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.

Total retail sales expressed in volume are calculated by deflating current dollar values using consumer price indexes. The retail sales series in chained (2007) dollars is a chained Fisher volume index with 2007 as the reference year. For more information, see Calculation of Volume of Retail Trade Sales.

For information on trend-cycle data, see the StatCan Blog and Trend-cycle estimates – Frequently asked questions.

Real-time CANSIM tables

Real-time CANSIM tables 080-8020 and 080-8024 will be updated on May 27. For more information, consult the document Real-time CANSIM tables.

Next release

Data on retail trade for April will be released on June 22.

Contact information

For more information, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca).

For analytical information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Jason Aston (613-951-0746; jason.aston@canada.ca), Retail and Service Industries Division.

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