Retail trade, November 2025

Released: 2026-01-23

Retail sales increased 1.3% to $70.4 billion in November. Sales were up in eight of nine subsectors, led by increases at food and beverage retailers.

Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers—were up 1.6% in November.

In volume terms, retail sales increased 1.1% in November.

Chart 1 
Retail sales increase in November

Core retail sales rise on higher sales at food and beverage retailers

Core retail sales rose 1.6% in November after decreasing in the previous two months. The largest increase to core retail sales came from food and beverage retailers (+3.0%). The increase in this subsector was led by beer, wine and liquor retailers, which were up 14.3% in November after falling 11.8% in October amid labour disruptions in British Columbia that impacted the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. In the food and beverage retailers subsector, higher receipts were also recorded at supermarkets and other grocery retailers (+1.2%).

Also contributing to the gain in core retail sales in November were higher sales in the health and personal care retailers subsector (+1.6%).

Clothing, clothing accessories, shoes, jewellery, luggage and leather goods retailers (+2.4%) were up in November. Clothing and clothing accessories retailers (+2.7%) led the increase in this subsector, following two consecutive monthly declines.

Higher sales were also recorded at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+2.1%) in November. The increase marks a second consecutive monthly gain for this subsector.

The sole decrease to retail sales in November came from sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers (-0.2%).

Sales up at gasoline stations and fuel vendors

Sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors (+2.0%) were up in November after falling 1.4% in October. In volume terms, sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors rose 0.7% in November.

Chart 2 
Sales increase in eight of nine subsectors in November

Sales up in seven provinces

Retail sales increased in seven provinces in November. The largest provincial increase in dollar terms was observed in Alberta (+3.7%) on higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers.

In Ontario, retail sales increased 0.8% in November on higher receipts at health and personal care retailers. In the census metropolitan area of Toronto, retail sales were up 0.9% in the month.

The largest provincial decrease in retail sales in November was observed in New Brunswick (-0.7%). This decrease was led by lower sales at food and beverage retailers.

Retail e-commerce sales in Canada

On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales decreased 2.8% to $4.0 billion in November, accounting for 5.7% of total retail trade, compared with 6.0% in October.

Advance retail indicator

Statistics Canada is providing an advance estimate of retail sales, which suggests that sales decreased 0.5% in December. Owing to its early nature, this figure will be revised. This unofficial estimate was calculated based on responses received from 61.3% of companies surveyed. The average final response rate for the survey over the previous 12 months was 88.0%.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).