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Retail trade

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April 2009 (Previous release)

Retail sales in current dollars decreased by 0.8% in April to $33.5 billion, offsetting in part three consecutive increases. Sales declined in five of eight sectors, led by a 1.9% decrease in the automotive sector. Food and beverage stores followed with a 1.0% decline. These two sectors represent close to 60% of sales each month.

Retail sales in volume terms decreased 0.6%, offsetting the increase in March.

 Retail sales decline in April

All three components of the automotive sector were down in April. The 1.8% decline in sales at new car dealers reflects lower values of new motor vehicles sold, as unit sales were essentially unchanged from March. Sales at used and recreational motor vehicle and parts dealers (-2.4%) declined for the sixth consecutive month. Gasoline stations registered a 1.9% decrease in sales.

After three months of increases, sales at food and beverage stores declined 1.0%. For the first time in over a year, the price of food purchased at stores edged down, according to the Consumer Price Index. Sales at supermarkets were down 0.7%, while beer, wine and liquor stores (-1.7%) registered their first monthly decline in 2009.

Furniture, home furnishings and electronics stores posted their ninth consecutive monthly decline in April with a 0.8% decrease in sales. Since July 2008, sales in this sector have fallen 11.4%. The continuing decline in the sector comes from lower sales volumes at furniture stores and home electronics and appliance stores.

Note to readers

Total retail sales by volume are measured by deflating values in current dollars of the various trade groups using consumer price indexes. This retail sales in chained dollars series (2002) is a chain Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.

Sales at general merchandise stores, the third largest retail sector in terms of sales, increased 0.5%. These stores have seen their sales increase slowly but steadily since the beginning of the year. The other sectors where sales rose in April were miscellaneous retailers (+0.7%) and building and outdoor home supplies stores (+0.3%).

Central Canada drags sales down

Retail sales were down in six provinces in April. Declines in Quebec (-2.5%) and Ontario (-1.1%) had the most impact on sales at the national level. This downward pull on overall sales followed two months where these two provinces were largely responsible for the gains.

Higher sales in British Columbia (+1.3%) and Alberta (+0.6%) offset some of the declines. These increases follow declines in five of the previous seven months.

The largest growth rate was observed in Prince Edward Island, where sales rose 1.7%, following a similar increase in March.

Table 1

Retail sales
  April 2008 January 2009r February 2009r March 2009r April 2009p March to April 2009 April 2008 to April 2009
  Seasonally adjusted
   $ millions % change
Automotive 12,504 10,280 10,251 10,317 10,118 -1.9 -19.1
New car dealers 6,403 5,266 5,215 5,414 5,318 -1.8 -17.0
Used and recreational motor vehicle and parts dealers 1,574 1,549 1,524 1,497 1,460 -2.4 -7.2
Gasoline stations 4,526 3,464 3,512 3,406 3,340 -1.9 -26.2
Furniture, home furnishings and electronics stores 2,592 2,412 2,378 2,376 2,358 -0.8 -9.0
Furniture stores 860 784 772 771 757 -1.8 -11.9
Home furnishings stores 510 452 445 454 457 0.9 -10.2
Computer and software stores 120 105 108 109 110 1.2 -8.6
Home electronics and appliance stores 1,102 1,071 1,054 1,043 1,033 -0.9 -6.3
Building and outdoor home supplies stores 2,246 2,123 2,192 2,182 2,187 0.3 -2.6
Home centres and hardware stores 1,833 1,708 1,770 1,767 1,771 0.2 -3.4
Specialized building materials and garden stores 413 415 422 415 417 0.4 0.8
Food and beverage stores 7,862 8,270 8,299 8,359 8,278 -1.0 5.3
Supermarkets 5,627 6,011 6,003 6,051 6,009 -0.7 6.8
Convenience and specialty food stores 833 841 849 849 833 -1.8 0.1
Beer, wine and liquor stores 1,402 1,418 1,447 1,459 1,435 -1.7 2.3
Pharmacies and personal care stores 2,426 2,469 2,467 2,476 2,467 -0.4 1.7
Clothing and accessories stores 2,011 1,964 1,966 1,941 1,930 -0.6 -4.0
Clothing stores 1,556 1,506 1,509 1,488 1,479 -0.6 -5.0
Shoe, clothing accessories and jewellery stores 454 457 458 453 451 -0.4 -0.7
General merchandise stores 4,260 4,319 4,338 4,341 4,364 0.5 2.4
Miscellaneous retailers 1,831 1,814 1,819 1,813 1,826 0.7 -0.3
Sporting goods, hobby, music and book stores 914 905 901 907 903 -0.5 -1.2
Miscellaneous store retailers 917 909 918 906 923 1.9 0.6
Total retail sales 35,731 33,651 33,709 33,805 33,529 -0.8 -6.2
Total excluding new car dealers, used and recreational motor vehicle and parts dealers 27,753 26,835 26,971 26,894 26,751 -0.5 -3.6
Provinces and territories              
Newfoundland and Labrador 583 570 578 588 589 0.1 1.0
Prince Edward Island 142 140 138 141 143 1.7 0.6
Nova Scotia 1,010 970 974 988 986 -0.2 -2.4
New Brunswick 819 797 790 797 789 -1.0 -3.6
Quebec 7,906 7,591 7,666 7,770 7,579 -2.5 -4.1
Ontario 12,773 11,986 12,075 12,170 12,035 -1.1 -5.8
Manitoba 1,245 1,203 1,204 1,200 1,195 -0.4 -4.0
Saskatchewan 1,198 1,154 1,155 1,160 1,143 -1.4 -4.6
Alberta 5,137 4,730 4,662 4,571 4,597 0.6 -10.5
British Columbia 4,789 4,387 4,346 4,293 4,350 1.3 -9.2
Yukon 45 42 41 42 41 -1.9 -8.3
Northwest Territories 60 56 55 57 54 -5.6 -9.2
Nunavut 25 26 26 27 27 1.5 6.5
revised
preliminary
Note(s):
Figures may not add up to total due to rounding.

It is possible to consult the tables of unadjusted data by industry and by province and territory from the Tables by subject module of our website.

For information on related indicators, refer to the Latest statistics page on our website.

Available on CANSIM: tables 080-0014 to 080-0017.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 2406 and 2408.

The April 2009 issue of the publication Retail Trade (63-005-X, free) will be available shortly.

Data on retail trade for May will be released on July 22.

For more information, or to order data, contact Client Services (613-951-3549; toll-free 1-877-421-3067; retailinfo@statcan.gc.ca). For analytical information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Mark Switzer (613-951-7137), Distributive Trades Division.