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May 15, 2020US RETAIL SALES, APRIL 2020 The US Census Bureau announced today the advance estimates of US retail and food service sales for March 2020. Due to CIVID-19, many businesses are operating on a limited capacity or have ceased operations completely.
Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for April 2020, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences were $403.9 billion, down 16.4 per cent from March 2020 and 21.6 per cent from April 2019.
Excluding food services and drinking places, retail trade sales decreased 15.1 per cent over March 2020, and decreased 17.8 per cent over April2019. Food service and drinking place receipts decreased 29.5 per cent to $32.4 billion compared to March 2020 and is lower by 48.7 per cent compared to April 2019.
Year-over-Year
In April 2020, United States seasonally adjusted Retail Trade & Food Services decreased 21.6 per cent over April 2019. Retail trade decreased 17.8 per cent and food services and drinking places sales decreased 48.7 per cent.
SECTOR ANALYSIS
Sales were down in 9 of 12 retail categories, the largest declines (in percentage terms) being reported in Clothing (-89.3%), Furniture (-66.5%), and Electronics (-64.8%). The largest gains were reported in Non-store retailers (+21.6%) and Food and Beverage Stores (+12.0 %) compared to April 2019.
Sales were down in the food services category: Food Services and Drinking Places (-48.7%).
In April 2020 vs April 2019,
Retail Trade, 92.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 17.8 per cent (-$80.6 billion) to $372 billion.
- Motor vehicle sector, 17.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 32.9% (-$33.5 billion).
- Furniture stores, 1.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 66.5% (-$6.6 billion).
- Electronics stores, 1.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 64.8% (-$5.2 billion).
- Building materials, 8.0% of total retail trade & food services, increased 0.4% (+$0.1 billion).
- Food and beverage stores 18.0% of total retail trade & food services, increased 12.0% (+$7.6 billion).
- Health, personal care stores 7.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 10.4% (-3.1 billion).
- Gasoline Stations, 6.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 42.8% (-$18.4 billion).
- Clothing stores, 1.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 89.3% (-$19.9 billion).
- Sports and hobby stores, 1.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 48.9% (-$3.3 billion).
- General merchandise stores, 13.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 14.9% (-$8.9 billion).
- Miscellaneous retail 2.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 30.6% (-3.4 billion).
- Non-store retailers,14.0% of total retail trade & food services, increased 21.6% (+$13.9 billion).
- Food services, drinking places 10.0% of total retail trade & food services, decreased 48.7% (-$30.7 billion).
Source: US Census Bureau, Data Tables
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