National numbers also dropped, led by lower sales at food and beverage outlets: StatsCan
For the first time in three months, retail sales in Alberta were down in May, due to lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers, according to data released on Friday by Statistics Canada.
The federal agency said sales fell by 1.7 per cent to $6.8 billion. On an annual basis, sales are off by 1.5 per cent.
Nationally, retail sales declined for the first time in four months, edging down 0.1 per cent to $51.5 billion in May. Excluding sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations, retail sales decreased one per cent, said StatsCan.
“Sales were down in four of 11 subsectors, representing 39 per cent of retail trade. Lower sales at food and beverage stores were the main contributors to the decline. After removing the effects of price changes, retail sales in volume terms decreased 0.5 per cent,” it said.
“Receipts at food and beverage stores decreased 2.0 per cent in May after increasing for three consecutive months. All store types within this subsector experienced lower sales this month, with the largest declines coming from supermarkets and other grocery stores (-2.0 per cent) and beer, wine and liquor stores (-2.7 per cent).”
For the fourth consecutive month, sales at gasoline stations (+3.5 per cent) increased, added the federal agency.
“Sales at cannabis stores (+14.8 per cent) rose in May, surpassing $85 million. This increase marked the third consecutive month of double-digit growth. Gains were widespread across all provinces, with Quebec and Ontario accounting for the majority of the increase,” it said.
Statistics Canada said retail e-commerce sales were $1.8 billion in May, accounting for three per cent of total retail trade, compared with 1.9 per cent of total retail trade in May 2016 — the year when official monthly statistics for retail e-commerce were first published.
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