Retail sales disappoint, slumping 1.1% in July; core sales down 0.4%

Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for July 2021, adjusted for seasonal variation and
holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $617.7 billion, a decrease of 1.1
percent (±0.5 percent) from the previous month, but 15.8 percent (±0.7 percent) above July 2020. Total
sales for the May 2021 through July 2021 period were up 20.6 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same
period a year ago. The May 2021 to June 2021 percent change was revised from up 0.6 percent (±0.5
percent) to up 0.7 percent (±0.2 percent).

Retail trade sales were down 1.5 percent (±0.5 percent) from June 2021, but up 13.3 percent (±0.7
percent) above last year. Clothing and clothing accessories stores were up 43.4 percent (±2.8 percent)
from July 2020, while food services and drinking places were up 38.4 percent (±3.0 percent) from last year.