March retail sales rise

Retail sales totalled $64.5 billion in March, up 2.9% from the same month a year earlier, says Statistics Canada in its ‘Retail Commodity Survey, March 2023.’ In dollar terms, the leading commodity categories in March were food and beverages ($15 billion), motor vehicles ($14 billion), and automotive and household fuels ($6.1 billion). The home furniture, furnishings, housewares, appliances, and electronics category sales were $5.4 billion, up from $4.5 billion in February. Sales for hardware, tools, and renovation and lawn and garden products were $4 billion in March compared to $3.1 billion in February.