Retail trade, June 2025

Retail sales increased 1.5% to $70.2 billion in June. Sales were up in all nine subsectors and were led by increases at food and beverage retailers.

Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers, were up 1.9% in June.

In volume terms, retail sales increased 1.5% in June.

Retail sales were up 0.4% in the second quarter. In volume terms, quarterly sales increased 0.7%.

Chart 1: Retail sales increase in June

Impact of Canada–US trade tensions

Feedback from respondents for June highlighted the effects of trade tensions between Canada and the United States on Canadian retail businesses. Supplementary questions asked to respondents show that 27% of retail businesses were impacted by the trade tensions in June, compared with 32% in May. The most common impacts in June were price increases, change in demand for product and delays in the supply chain.

Core retail sales rise

Core retail sales increased 1.9% in June on higher sales at food and beverage retailers (+2.3%), with all four store types within this subsector posting gains. The subsector's increase was led by higher receipts at supermarkets and other grocery retailers, which were up 1.8% in June following a decline of 0.6% in May. Higher sales at beer, wine and liquor retailers (+4.3%) and convenience retailers and vending machine operators (+5.3%) in June also contributed to the increase at food and beverage retailers.

Higher sales were also recorded at clothing, clothing accessories, shoes, jewelry, luggage and leather goods retailers (+5.1%) and general merchandise retailers (+1.6%) in June.

Sales up at gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers

Sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors (+1.8%) increased in June after three consecutive monthly declines. In volume terms, sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors increased 2.7%.

Following a decline of 3.4% in May, sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers edged up 0.2% in June. The increase was led by higher sales at new car dealers (+0.1%) and automotive parts, accessories and tire retailers (+1.1%). The sole decrease in the motor vehicle and parts dealers subsector came from other motor vehicle dealers (-0.1%).

Chart 2: Sales increase in all subsectors in June

Sales up in six provinces

Retail sales increased in six provinces in June. The largest provincial increase in dollar terms was observed in Ontario (+3.2%) on higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers. In the census metropolitan area (CMA) of Toronto, retail sales were up 3.9% in the month.

In British Columbia, retail sales increased 1.5% in June, led by higher sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers. In the CMA of Vancouver, retail sales were up 2.0%.

The largest provincial decrease in June was observed in Saskatchewan (-1.4%), coinciding with wildfire evacuations. This decrease was led by lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers.

Retail e-commerce sales in Canada

On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales decreased 1.7% to $4.2 billion in June, accounting for 5.9% of total retail trade, compared with 6.1% in May.

Advance retail indicator

Statistics Canada is providing an advance estimate of retail sales, which suggests that sales decreased 0.8% in July. Owing to its early nature, this figure will be revised. This unofficial estimate was calculated based on responses received from 54.7% of companies surveyed. The average final response rate for the survey over the previous 12 months was 90.1%.

Table 1: Retail sales, by province, territory and census metropolitan area — Seasonally adjusted

Table 2: Retail sales, by industry — Seasonally adjusted

Table 3: Retail sales at 2017 constant prices, by industry — Seasonally adjusted