Canada: Retail trade, February 2017

Retail sales declined 0.6% to $47.8 billion in February, following a 2.3% increase in January. Sales were down in 5 of 11 subsectors, representing 67% of total retail sales.

Lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations were the main contributors to the decline. Excluding these two subsectors, retail sales were up 0.5%.

After removing the effects of price changes, retail sales in volume terms edged down 0.1%.

Motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations lead the decline

Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (-1.8%) were down for the first time in seven months, largely reflecting weaker sales at new car (-1.7%) and other motor vehicle (-5.5%) dealers. Following gains in January, sales were 1.3% lower at used car dealers.

Gasoline stations (-3.6%) posted their first sales decline in three months, largely reflecting lower prices at the pump.

Following an increase in January, receipts at food and beverage stores decreased 0.4% in February. Lower sales at beer, wine and liquor stores (-1.7%) was the main contributor to the decline. Sales at specialty food stores (-0.6%) also declined, while supermarkets and other grocery stores sales were relatively unchanged from January.

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-0.8%) posted their first decline in six months.

Receipts at electronics and appliance stores edged down 0.2%, following a 5.4% increase in January.

Sales at health and personal care stores (+2.0%) rose for the second month in a row.

Clothing and clothing accessories stores reported a 2.2% sales gain in February. Higher sales at clothing (+3.4%) and shoe (+2.0%) stores more than offset the 6.2% decline at jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores.

Sales down in eight provinces

Retail sales were down in eight provinces in February.

Ontario (-0.6%) reported the largest decrease in dollar terms, led by lower sales at new car dealers.

In Nova Scotia (-4.5%), lower sales were reported at motor vehicle and parts dealers as well as building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers. Severe winter weather events were a factor.

Sales in Quebec were down 0.5% on lower sales at used car dealers and gasoline stations.

In Saskatchewan (+0.6%), retail sales advanced for the seventh consecutive month on higher sales at new and used car dealers.

Retail sales in New Brunswick (+0.3%) rose for the sixth time in seven months.

E-commerce sales by Canadian retailers

The figures in this section are based on unadjusted (that is, not seasonally adjusted) estimates.

On an unadjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales were $939 million in February, accounting for 2.4% of total retail trade. On a year-over-year basis, retail e-commerce increased 27.4% while total unadjusted retail sales rose 3.2%.

StatsCanada

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