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Retail Services Price Index, first quarter 2017

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Released: 2017-08-18

The Retail Services Price Index (RSPI) advanced 0.8% in the first quarter, with 8 of 10 major retail subsectors posting margin gains. This increase marked a rebound from the large margin decline recorded in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Chart 1  Chart 1: Retail Services Price Index
Retail Services Price Index

Food and beverage stores margins rebounded (+1.9%) following the decline posted in the previous quarter. Margins rose at grocery stores (+2.4%), beer, wine and liquor stores (+1.4%) and specialty food stores (+0.5%) as retailers reported higher selling prices. According to the Consumer Price Index, prices of food purchased from stores increased 1.0% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous quarter.

Retailers at clothing and clothing accessories stores (+2.3%) reported fewer discounts and promotions, resulting in increased margins. Growth was concentrated in the clothing stores (+2.7%) category.

Miscellaneous store retailers (+2.5%) posted the largest margin increase in the first quarter, with office supplies, stationery and gift stores (+6.9%) contributing the most to the increase.

Because of its high relative importance in the index, the general merchandise stores subsector (-3.3%) provided the greatest moderating effect on the overall rise of the RSPI in the first quarter. This was the fourth consecutive margin decline posted by this subsector.

Year-over-year change

The RSPI was unchanged in the first quarter compared with the same quarter in 2016. Of the 10 major retail subsectors, 6 were up and 4 were down.

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+9.0%) posted the largest margin increase on a year-over-year basis. Retailers in this subsector have reported 11 consecutive year-over-year margin increases since the third quarter of 2014.

Gasoline stations (+3.6%) recorded the fourth consecutive year-over-year margin increase. Both gasoline stations with convenience stores (+5.2%) and other gasoline stations (+2.8%) reported margin gains.

Clothing and clothing accessories stores (+3.6%), sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (+2.4%) and miscellaneous store retailers (+2.3%) all reported notable year-over-year margin gains.

General merchandise stores (-8.7%) posted the largest year-over-year margin decline in the RSPI. Furniture and home furnishing stores (-6.1%), food and beverage stores (-1.3%) and health and personal care stores (-0.7%) also reported margin declines on a year-over-year basis.


  Note to readers

The Retail Services Price Index (RSPI) represents the change in the price of the retail service. The price of the retail service is defined as the margin price, which is the difference between the average purchase price and the average selling price of the retail product being priced. The RSPI is not a retail selling price index.

The indexes are not seasonally adjusted. Data are available at the Canada level only.

A Historical Timeline of Canadian Producer Price Statistics

To celebrate Canada 150, A Historical Timeline of Canadian Producer Price Statistics, which is part of Statistics Canada — Infographics (Catalogue number11-627-M), was created to showcase the key milestones in the history of Canadian producer price statistics. This historical timeline contains answers to questions such as: Who collected Canada's first statistics? What do Canadian producer price indexes measure?

Infographic: Producer Price Indexes at a Glance

The infographic "Producer Price Indexes at a Glance," which is part of Statistics Canada — Infographics (Catalogue number11-627-M), demonstrates how producer price indexes for goods and services are calculated and why they are important for the Canadian economy.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).

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