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Retail trade annual review, 2013

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Released: 2014-11-27

Retail sales expanded by 3.2% in 2013, with sales up in every province. In volume terms, total retail sales rose 2.9%, the highest growth rate since 2010.

After strong sales growth in the first three quarters of 2013, monthly sales slowed in the fourth quarter in certain subsectors as a result of severe weather conditions.

In the first nine months of 2014, retail sales were up 4.5% compared with the same period in 2013.

Chart 1  Chart 1: Current and constant dollar retail sales - Description and data table
Current and constant dollar retail sales

Chart 1: Current and constant dollar retail sales - Description and data table

The main contributor to the 2013 gain was the motor vehicle and parts subsector (+6.3%), as a record number of passenger cars and trucks were sold. Sales were up in the general merchandise stores subsector (+3.5%) in 2013, as it continued to increase its share of food and beverage sales. Meanwhile, sales at food and beverage stores (+1.0%) had their largest annual gain since 2010. Electronics and appliance stores (-3.1%) was the lone subsector with lower sales in 2013.

Total employment in the Canadian retail industry grew 1.5% in 2013.

Food and motor vehicles continued to account for the largest shares of retail spending in Canada. The share of retail spending for food (+17.4%) was slightly higher than that of motor vehicles (+16.9%), the smallest difference since 2008.

General merchandise stores continued to expand into the food market in 2013, with receipts from food and beverage sales up 9.2% in 2013. This increased their share of total retail spending on food and beverages by 0.9 percentage points to 14.3%.

For the second consecutive year, Alberta (+6.9%) registered the highest rate of retail sales growth in Canada. Higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (+13.4%) and, to a lesser extent, gasoline stations (+7.7%) contributed to the gain.

The analytical article "Retail: The Year 2013 in Review" will soon be available as part of Analysis in Brief (Catalogue number11-621-M).

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