Statistics Canada reports retail sales up 0.9% at $66.4B in July

Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.9% to $66.4 billion in July, helped by stronger new car sales.

The agency says sales were higher in seven of the nine subsectors it tracks with sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers up 2.2%, boosted by a 2.3% increase in sales at new car dealers.

Sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors fell 0.6% for the month as sales for the subsector in volume terms fell 1.7%.

Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers—rose 0.6% in July. The gain was led by higher sales at food and beverage retailers, up 0.8%.

Sales at food and beverage retailers were up 1.2% on higher sales at supermarkets and other grocery retailers (except convenience retailers) and specialty food retailers (up 2.1%) and convenience retailers and vending machine operators (up 0.4%).

In volume terms, Statistics Canada says retail sales increased 1% in July.

Looking forward, the agency says its preliminary estimate for retail sales in August pointed to a gain of 0.5% for the month, thought it cautioned the figure will be revised.

With files from Canadian Grocer staff