There were $436.8 billion of food and retail sales in April (after adjustment of seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This level was virtually unchanged from the previous month, but 0.9 percent higher from April of last year.
Core retail sales—excluding automobiles, building materials, and gasoline—increased by 0.2 percent in April, after rising by a half percent last month. Total sales, excluding automobiles and parts rose 0.1 percent, a slower increase from last month’s growth of 0.7 percent, but unchanged from April 2014.
Retail trade sales declined 0.1 percent from both last month and April of 2014. Sales at gasoline stations declined by 0.7 percent on the month and were 21 percent lower than a year ago. Sales from department stores fell 2.2 percent from March, and were down 5.1 percent on the year.
