There were $704.9 billion in retail and food service sales in September, up 0.7% from the previous month and 3.8% from the prior year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Core retail sales—excluding automobiles and gasoline—increased 0.6% over the month and 4.0% for the year.
Retail trade sales increased 0.7% from August and 3.0% year-over-year. Sales at non-store retailers were up 8.4% from last year, while sales at food services and drinking places increased 9.2% from September 2022. Health and personal care stores sales increased 0.8% from August and up 8.3% from September 2022.
Sales at gasoline stations increased 0.9% after an upwardly revised 6.7% increase in August. Gasoline station sales remain 3.5% below year-ago levels.
Read the Census release.