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May 26, 2022RETAIL TRADE, MARCH 2022 MONTH OVER MONTH (seasonally adjusted Mar 2022 vs. Feb 2022)
In Nova Scotia retail trade decreased -1.8% to $1,619.2 million, Nationally, retail trade increased 0.03% to $60.1 billion. Four provinces reported monthly increases in retail trade, with Alberta (1.8%) reporting the largest gain and Nova Scotia (-1.8%) reporting the largest decline.
YEAR OVER YEAR (seasonally adjusted Mar 2022 vs. Mar 2021)
In Nova Scotia retail trade increased 3.4%. Nationally, retail trade increased 2.7%. All ten provinces reported year-over-year increases in retail trade, with Saskatchewan (7.7%) reporting the largest gain and Manitoba (0.4%) reporting the smallest gain.
YEAR TO DATE (seasonally adjusted Jan-Mar 2022 vs. Jan-Mar 2021)
Nova Scotia retail trade increased 4.6%. Nationally, retail trade increased 8.1%. All ten provinces reported year-to-date increases in retail trade, with Quebec (13.4%) reporting the largest gain and British Columbia (1.0%) reporting the smallest gain.
NOVA SCOTIA SECTORS
YEAR TO DATE (Unadjusted, Jan-Mar 2022 vs. Jan-Mar 2021)
Retail trade increased 3.7% or $144.7 million. In dollar terms, gas stations ($66.7 million) contributed most to the increase. Food & beverage ($32.6 million) and health ($27.7 million) also contributed to the increase. Declines were reported in electronics (-$0.3 million) and motor vehicle (-$57.9 million).
TRENDS
While there was a sharp decline at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, retail sales returned to pre-COVID level relatively quickly in 2020 and have been on an upward, although volatile, trend over the past 18 months.
E-Commerce
In March 2022, Canada's ecommerce sales (5.3% of total retail sales) decreased 1.9% to $3.2 billion.
REFERENCES
Statistics Canada. Tables 20-10-0072-01 Retail E-commerce sales, unadjusted (x 1,000) , 20-10-0008-01 Retail trade sales by province and territory (x 1,000)
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