Daily Exchange

Retail trade for November 2011

Sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (+2.9%) rose for a fourth consecutive month

Statscan - Retail sales in November rose for a fourth consecutive month, increasing 0.3% to $38.7 billion. Gains were reported in 7 of 11 subsectors, representing 65% of total retail sales.

In volume terms, sales were also up for a fourth month in a row, increasing 0.5%.

Retail sales increase in November

Gasoline station sales rose 0.8% in November. This was the eighth increase since the beginning of 2011.

Sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (+2.9%) rose for a fourth consecutive month. Stores selling video games were the main contributors to the increase.

General merchandise store sales were up 0.6%, the sixth increase in seven months. The "other general merchandise stores" industry accounted for the gain, rising 1.7%. Following a decline in September and flat sales in October, sales at department stores fell 0.7% in November.

Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (+0.3%) advanced for a fourth consecutive month. Stronger tire sales led to a 5.1% increase at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores. Receipts at new car dealers edged up 0.1%, following larger increases the previous three months. Sales at other motor vehicle dealers (-1.4%) and used car dealers (-0.5%) both declined in November.

Clothing and clothing accessories stores reported a 0.9% sales gain. This was the third increase in a row.

Following five monthly gains, sales at food and beverage stores declined 0.3%. This decrease came mainly from lower sales at supermarkets and other grocery stores (-0.4%).

Furniture and home furnishings stores (-0.8%) registered a third consecutive sales decrease in November. Lower sales at home furnishings stores (-3.1%) accounted for this decline.

Retail sales rose in Quebec and the four Western provinces for a fourth month in a row.

Sales in Quebec grew 0.7%, with widespread gains across store types. Sales in this province have been generally rising since May, following declines in the beginning of 2011.

Increases in Alberta (+1.0%) and Saskatchewan (+1.3%) marked the fourth month in a row that sales growth in these provinces was higher than the national level.

Sales declined in all of the Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia (-1.0%) reported the largest decrease.

Sales in Ontario edged down 0.1% in November, a second consecutive monthly decline.

Retail sales by province and territory – Seasonally adjusted
	November 2010	October 2011^r	November 2011^p	October to November 2011	November 2010 to November 2011
	$ millions			% change
Canada	37,549	38,578	38,698	0.3	3.1
Newfoundland and Labrador	630	661	656	-0.7	4.2
Prince Edward Island	149	162	161	-0.3	8.6
Nova Scotia	1,064	1,102	1,091	-1.0	2.6
New Brunswick	901	945	943	-0.3	4.7
Quebec	8,471	8,564	8,623	0.7	1.8
Ontario	13,381	13,499	13,484	-0.1	0.8
Manitoba	1,340	1,397	1,403	0.4	4.7
Saskatchewan	1,298	1,427	1,445	1.3	11.3
Alberta	5,214	5,589	5,644	1.0	8.3
British Columbia	4,963	5,087	5,103	0.3	2.8
Yukon	50	57	57	-0.8	13.0
Northwest Territories	59	58	58	-0.7	-1.8
Nunavut	30	30	30	-0.1	1.0

Retail sales by industry – Seasonally adjusted
	November 2010	October 2011^r	November 2011^p	October to November 2011	November 2010 to November 2011
	$ millions			% change
Total retail trade	37,549	38,578	38,698	0.3	3.1
Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers	29,087	29,856	29,952	0.3	3.0
Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations	24,738	24,942	25,000	0.2	1.1
Motor vehicle and parts dealers	8,462	8,722	8,746	0.3	3.4
New car dealers	6,819	6,997	7,002	0.1	2.7
Used car dealers	490	511	508	-0.5	3.6
Other motor vehicle dealers	546	622	614	-1.4	12.5
Automotive parts, accessories and tire stores	607	592	622	5.1	2.6
Furniture and home furnishing stores	1,258	1,233	1,223	-0.8	-2.8
Furniture stores	801	774	778	0.5	-2.8
Home furnishings stores	457	459	444	-3.1	-2.7
Electronics and appliance stores	1,168	1,177	1,173	-0.3	0.5
Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers	2,248	2,273	2,270	-0.1	1.0
Food and beverage stores	8,730	8,747	8,721	-0.3	-0.1
Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores	6,205	6,172	6,151	-0.4	-0.9
Convenience stores	564	564	562	-0.2	-0.2
Specialty food stores	414	434	436	0.5	5.2
Beer, wine and liquor stores	1,547	1,578	1,572	-0.4	1.6
Health and personal care stores	2,755	2,676	2,695	0.7	-2.2
Gasoline stations	4,349	4,914	4,952	0.8	13.9
Clothing and clothing accessories stores	2,115	2,194	2,213	0.9	4.6
Clothing stores	1,646	1,695	1,720	1.5	4.5
Shoe stores	238	248	245	-1.4	3.0
Jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores	232	251	248	-1.3	7.0
Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores	972	973	1,002	2.9	3.0
General merchandise stores	4,600	4,772	4,799	0.6	4.3
Department stores	x	2,252	2,236	-0.7	x
Other general merchandise stores	x	2,520	2,563	1.7	x
Miscellaneous store retailers	892	896	904	0.9	1.4

All the data in this release are seasonally adjusted and in current dollars, unless otherwise noted.

Total retail sales by volume are measured by deflating values in current dollars of the various trade groups using consumer price indexes. This retail sales in chained dollars series (2002) is a chain Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.