Total retail sales remained unchanged in January 2006 compared with December 2005. This follows a decrease of 0.3 percent in December and an increase of 0.8 percent in November.
Excluding the vehicle-related industries, sales for the core-retailing group increased 0.1 percent ($5 million) in January 2006.
Fifteen of the 24 retail industries recorded decreases in January 2006 compared with December 2005.
Total percentage retail of sales imputed in the month of January 2006 stood at 9.6 percent of which, clothing and softgoods sector accounted for about 11.1 percent and footwear sector registered 10.9 percent.
Offsetting the decrease in total retail industries was the increase for department stores (up 11.8 percent or $32 million). This increase follows a decrease in December sales and coincides with a change in timing of January sale promotions by some of the larger retailers in this industry.