Food and beverage store sales up in November

Statistics Canada says retail sales climbed 1.3% to $55.2 billion in November, rising for the seventh straight month as Black Friday boosted online shopping.

But the agency's unofficial early estimate suggests retailers saw sales fall 2.6% in December, at the height of the holiday shopping season.

Statistics Canada says shoppers began gift buying early online to avoid shipping delays and take advantage of Black Friday promotions.

The agency says retail e-commerce sales for November were up 75.9% from the same month a year earlier.

Food and beverage store sales were also up 5.9% in November.

Approximately 3% of all retailers were closed at some point in the month as restrictions tightened amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

Sales at auto parts dealers fell in November for the first time since April, as truck sales declined 4% from November 2019, and passenger car sales tumbled 20.5% compared with the same month last year.