Quarterly Retail Commodity Survey, fourth quarter 2012
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Released: 2013-04-12
Retail sales rose 0.2% from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012. This was the lowest increase since the third quarter of 2009. Higher sales were reported in 6 of 10 major commodity groups.
Motor vehicles, parts and services receipts rose 2.3% from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012. Sales of new automotive vehicles (+2.6%) were the largest contributor to the increase, led by higher sales of new passenger cars (+11.5%). Sales of new trucks, vans, minivans and sport utility vehicles (-2.1%) declined for the first time since the second quarter of 2009. Used automotive vehicle sales rose 4.6% in the fourth quarter, a seventh consecutive quarter of gains.
Food and beverage sales grew 1.6%. Sales of this commodity group continued to shift away from food and beverage stores and toward general merchandise stores in 2012.
Sales of automotive fuels, oils and additives were up 1.7%. The increase in sales of automotive fuels (+1.6%) has been in the single-digits in each quarter of 2012, following double-digit growth rates in all quarters of 2010 and 2011, reflecting price movements at the pump over this time period.
The commodity group of furniture, home furnishings and electronics saw its sales fall 5.9%. The largest contribution to the decline was from home electronics, computers and cameras (-11.2%). Sales of these product types decreased in every quarter in 2012.
Retail sales of sporting and leisure goods declined 4.6%. Pre-recorded CDs, DVDs and video and audio tapes (-18.8%) were the largest contributor to the decline. These forms of media have registered sales declines in 16 of the last 17 quarters. Books, newspapers and other periodicals (-12.3%) declined for a fourth consecutive quarter.
Note to readers
The Quarterly Retail Commodity Survey collects national level retail sales by commodity, from a sub-sample of businesses in the Monthly Retail Trade Survey.
Quarterly data have not been adjusted for seasonality. All percentage changes are year over year.
Contact information
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