Retail Services Price Index

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The Retail Services Price Index (RSPI) rose by 0.6% in the fourth quarter.

This fourth quarter margin increase was driven by advances in 6 of 10 retail sectors. The largest margin increases were posted by food and beverage store retailers (+2.2%), sporting goods, hobby, book and music store retailers (+1.8%) and retailers of clothing and clothing accessories (+1.1%).

Electronics and appliance store retailers (-2.3%) posted the largest margin decline in the fourth quarter. Margins for retailers of health and personal care products (-0.6%) and general merchandise (-0.5%) posted moderate decreases in the fourth quarter.

Year over year, the RSPI advanced 1.7% in the fourth quarter with margins increasing in 7 of 10 retail sectors. The largest year-over-year margin increases were posted by food and beverage store retailers (+3.6%), electronics and appliance store retailers (+3.4%), miscellaneous store retailers (+2.8%) and health and personal care store retailers (+2.7%).

Margins for retailers of sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-1.9%), furniture and home furnishings stores (-1.0%) and building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-0.2%) declined year over year.

Note: All data in this release are seasonally unadjusted and are subject to revision. The Retail Services Price Index is not a retail selling price index. The index represents the change in the price of the retail service. The price of the retail service is defined as the margin price which is the difference between the average purchase price and the average selling price of the retail product being priced.

Available on CANSIM: table 332-0003.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5135.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (613-951-4550; toll-free 1-888-951-4550; fax: 613-951-3117, ppd-info-dpp@statcan.gc.ca), Producer Prices Division.