January Retail Sales Edge Up

Retail sales increased 1.4 per cent to $66.4 billion in January, says Statistics Canada. Sales increased in seven of nine subsectors, representing 88.7 per cent of retail trade. The increase was led by higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (three per cent) and gasoline stations and fuel vendors (2.9 per cent). Core retail sales – which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers – increased 0.5 per cent in January. In volume terms, retail sales increased 1.5 per cent in January. Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers were up 1.5 per cent. Retail sales increased in all provinces in January. The largest provincial increase was observed in Alberta (2.9 per cent). On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail eCommerce sales were down 0.1 per cent to $3.3 billion in January, accounting for five per cent of total retail trade compared with 5.1 per cent in December.