Retail sales growth continues to slow in September 2025
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
Modified 2025-12-03T17:19:10+00:00
Goran Soko / CSIMarket.com Contributer
The growth in retail and food services sales, continues to slow, after the slowdown in August 2025, as as the americans shop less over the internet, soften total sales.
The Commerce Department announced U.S. retail sales increased a slim 0.2 % in September 2025 on the seasonally adjusted basis. gasoline stations sales continue to trend higher by 2.01%, preventing consumers to spend more money on other items, as fuel outlays represent now 7.21% of total sales.
Soft sales are generally unwelcomed news for investors, as retail sales account for about half of total consumer spending and about a third of final sales in the U.S. economy. Sales advanced by 2.4 % for the year, meanwhile sales excluding volatile motor vehicle and parts sales, increased less than overall retail sales, over the last 12 months.
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| Fuels & Transportation |
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Excluding the volatile auto sector sales grew sequentially by 0.3 % on the seasonally adjusted basis, health, personal care and miscellaneous retailers sales grew above average. Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores sales fell.
Investors and the Federal Reserve usually view the core sales as a better gauge of retail sales because it excludes car sales, which often fluctuate.
Excluding the volatile auto sector sales advanced by 2.1 % for the year.
Sales of essentials have increased on the same pace like in previous month, sale of essentials like groceries and gasoline increased by 0.8 % on the seasonally adjusted basis, as gasoline station sales increased the most, representing 7.21 % of total U.S. retail and food services sales. Over the last 12 months, sales of essentials soared by 3.2 %.
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Retail Sales
In September 2025, sales increased 0.2% at building materials dealers, health and personal care stores increased by 1.1%.
Meanwhile, sales decreased -0.5% at electronics and appliance stores, internet retailers -100%.
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Retail Sales by Category
(In millions $)
ADVANCE
MONTHLY SALES
( in millions $) |
Sep. 2025
adv. |
Aug. 2025
adv. |
July 2025
rest. |
June 2025
final |
May 2025
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
|
733,258 |
732,059 |
727,414 |
722,571 |
715,417 |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
|
593,905 |
592,282 |
588,346 |
585,585 |
579,615 |
| Retail |
|
632,541 |
632,082 |
628,620 |
623,882 |
618,055 |
| GAFO |
|
541,052 |
540,471 |
536,940 |
534,711 |
529,837 |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers |
|
139,353 |
139,777 |
139,068 |
136,986 |
135,802 |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers |
|
128,022 |
128,311 |
127,707 |
125,583 |
124,160 |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
|
11,418 |
11,354 |
11,677 |
11,492 |
11,752 |
| Electronics & appliance stores |
|
7,689 |
7,728 |
7,733 |
7,587 |
7,605 |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Computer & software stores |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
|
40,153 |
40,090 |
39,919 |
40,268 |
39,682 |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
|
- |
34,536 |
34,312 |
34,806 |
- |
| Food & beverage stores |
|
85,516 |
85,341 |
84,937 |
84,554 |
83,763 |
| Grocery stores |
|
77,142 |
76,888 |
76,519 |
76,181 |
75,340 |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
|
- |
6,012 |
5,991 |
5,952 |
- |
| Health & personal care stores |
|
40,584 |
40,150 |
39,683 |
39,501 |
38,807 |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
|
- |
34,604 |
34,076 |
33,872 |
- |
| Gasoline stations |
|
52,853 |
51,811 |
51,406 |
50,874 |
49,778 |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
|
27,043 |
27,240 |
26,908 |
26,433 |
26,175 |
| Men's clothing stores |
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Women's clothing stores |
|
- |
2,775 |
2,734 |
2,803 |
- |
| Shoe stores |
|
- |
3,320 |
3,317 |
3,252 |
- |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
|
7,951 |
8,155 |
8,083 |
7,906 |
7,998 |
| General merchandise stores |
|
77,097 |
77,056 |
76,827 |
77,085 |
76,756 |
| Department stores ex. LD |
|
3,181 |
3,203 |
3,238 |
3,213 |
3,224 |
| Other general merchandise
stores |
|
- |
73,853 |
73,589 |
73,872 |
- |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
|
- |
64,664 |
64,562 |
64,809 |
- |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
|
- |
9,189 |
9,027 |
9,063 |
- |
| Miscellaneous store retailers |
|
15,083 |
14,655 |
15,140 |
15,130 |
14,445 |
| Nonstore retailers |
|
- |
121,422 |
120,057 |
119,064 |
- |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
|
- |
121,422 |
120,057 |
119,064 |
- |
| Food services & drinking places |
|
100,717 |
99,977 |
98,794 |
98,689 |
97,362 |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % Y / Y) |
Sep. 2025
adv. |
Aug. 2025
adv. |
July 2025
rest. |
June 2025
final |
May 2025
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
2.35 % |
3.1 % |
2.39 % |
2.8 % |
1.55 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
2.1 % |
2.81 % |
2.14 % |
2.04 % |
1.49 % |
| Retail |
2.01 % |
2.86 % |
2.07 % |
2.53 % |
1.34 % |
| GAFO |
2.03 % |
3.16 % |
2.59 % |
2.55 % |
2.37 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
3.45 % |
4.36 % |
3.47 % |
6.22 % |
1.81 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
|
3.93 % |
4.83 % |
3.97 % |
7.07 % |
1.88 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
0.37 % |
0.89 % |
3.35 % |
3.98 % |
6.71 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
3.61 % |
1.15 % |
-2.21 % |
-3.31 % |
-2.87 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
|
|
|
|
| Computer & software stores
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
-3.81 % |
-2.87 % |
-2.98 % |
-1.32 % |
-1.07 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
-4.37 % |
-4.56 % |
-2.1 % |
- % |
| Food & beverage stores |
1.85 % |
2.44 % |
1.51 % |
1.96 % |
1.38 % |
| Grocery stores |
2.66 % |
3.12 % |
2.16 % |
2.68 % |
1.97 % |
| Beer, wine & liquor stores |
- % |
-1.8 % |
-2.93 % |
-3.13 % |
- % |
| Health & personal care stores |
5.3 % |
6.38 % |
5.7 % |
7.29 % |
7.12 % |
| Pharmacies & drug stores |
- % |
9.03 % |
8.24 % |
10.83 % |
- % |
| Gasoline stations |
2.8 % |
-0.68 % |
-2.28 % |
-3.09 % |
-6.98 % |
| Clothing & clothing accessories
stores |
2.97 % |
4.56 % |
2.41 % |
0.69 % |
-0.13 % |
| Men's clothing stores |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
- % |
| Women's clothing stores |
- % |
-8.78 % |
-9.83 % |
-8.19 % |
- % |
| Shoe stores |
- % |
6.04 % |
0.45 % |
2.23 % |
- % |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book &
music |
-3.9 % |
-0.05 % |
-0.77 % |
-3.87 % |
-3.22 % |
| General merchandise stores
|
1.19 % |
1.84 % |
1.27 % |
2.18 % |
1.96 % |
| Department stores ex. LD |
-70.78 %
|
-70.45 %
|
-70.43 %
|
-70.74 %
|
-70.51 %
|
| Other general merchandise
stores |
- % |
13.93 % |
13.36 % |
14.61 % |
- % |
| Warehouse clubs & superstores |
- % |
16.25 % |
15.65 % |
17 % |
- % |
| All other gen. merchandise
stores |
- % |
-0.11 % |
-0.71 % |
-0.02 % |
- % |
| Miscellaneous store retailers
|
-3.2 % |
-3.92 % |
0.22 % |
-0.66 % |
-3.75 % |
| Nonstore retailers |
- % |
6.9 % |
6.3 % |
4.71 % |
- % |
| Electronic shopping & mail-order
houses |
- % |
6.9 % |
6.3 % |
4.71 % |
- % |
| Food services & drinking places
|
4.6 % |
4.68 % |
4.48 % |
4.54 % |
2.95 % |
ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
( in % M / M) |
Sep. 2025
adv. |
Aug. 2025
adv. |
July 2025
rest. |
June 2025
final |
May 2025
adv. |
| Retail & food services
total |
0.16 % |
0.64 % |
0.67 % |
1 % |
-0.91 % |
| Total excl. motor
vehicle & parts |
0.27 % |
0.67 % |
0.47 % |
1.03 % |
-0.28 % |
| Retail |
0.07 % |
0.55 % |
0.76 % |
0.94 % |
-0.91 % |
| GAFO |
0.11 % |
0.66 % |
0.42 % |
0.92 % |
-0.12 % |
| Motor vehicle & parts dealers
|
-0.3 % |
0.51 % |
1.52 % |
0.87 % |
-3.49 % |
| Auto & other motor veh. dealers
|
-0.23 % |
0.47 % |
1.69 % |
1.15 % |
-3.87 % |
| Furniture & home furnishings
stores |
0.56 % |
-2.77 % |
1.61 % |
-2.21 % |
1.17 % |
| Electronics & appliance stores
|
-0.5 % |
-0.06 % |
1.92 % |
-0.24 % |
-0.59 % |
| Appl. TV & camera |
|
|
|
|
|
| Computer & software stores
|
|
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|
|
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| Building mat. &
garden eq. & supplies dealers |
0.16 % |
0.43 % |
-0.87 % |
1.48 % |
-2.68 % |
| Building mat. & supplies dealers |
- % |
0.65 % |
-1.42 % |
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