There were $561.7 billion in retail and food service sales in February, down 3.0% from January but up 6.3% above the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales—excluding automobiles and gasoline—decreased 3.3% from the previous month but were up 6.0% from last year.
Retail trade sales were down 3.1% from January 2021, and up 9.5% above last year. Nonstore retailers were up 25.9% from February 2020, while food services and drinking places were down 17.0% from last year
Sales at gasoline stations increased 3.6% during February and is 1.4% higher than February 2020.
Read the Census release.