US retail and food-service sales rose 0.8% in September
The Census Bureau estimated sales at $745.0 billion, up 6.3% from a year earlier.
Event / data period: 2026-09
Published: · Updated:
U.S. retail and food-services sales were estimated at $745.0 billion in September, an increase of 0.8% from August and 6.3% from September 2025, the Census Bureau reported. The monthly-change estimate has a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 0.4 percentage point at the 90% confidence level. The report covers retail and food services and is adjusted for seasonal variation, holidays and trading-day differences.
Sales for July through September were 5.5% above the same period a year earlier. The August monthly increase was revised to 1.3%, from the previously reported 1.1%. These figures are not adjusted for price changes, so they describe nominal sales rather than a change in the volume of goods and services purchased.
Data
US retail and food-services sales, September 2026
U.S. Census Bureau advance estimate for September 2026 and revised August monthly change.
| September 2026 | 745 | 0.8 | 6.3 |
| July–September 2026 | — | — | 5.5 |
| August 2026 (revised) | — | 1.3 | — |
Methodology
Census Bureau advance estimate for retail and food-services sales, adjusted for seasonal, holiday and trading-day effects. Not adjusted for price changes; current nominal US dollars. The margin of error for September's monthly change is ±0.4 percentage point. The August change was revised in this release. The monthly-change sampling margin is at the 90% confidence level.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- EconomySuggested
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