There were $549.3 billion in retail and food service sales in September, up 1.9% from August and 5.4% above the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales—excluding automobiles and gasoline—increased 1.6% from the previous month and increased 4.7% from last year.
Retail trade sales rose 1.9% from August and 8.2% above September 2019. Nonstore retailers were up 23.8% from last year, while building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers were up 19.1% from last year.
Sales at gasoline stations increased 1.5% during September but decreased 13.3% since September 2019.
Read the Census release.