The U.S. Census Bureau reported Friday that advance estimates of U.S retail and foodservice sales for September 2021, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $625.4 billion, up 0.7 percent from the previous month, and 13.9 percent above September 2020.
Total sales for July 2021 through September 2021 were up 14.9 percent versus the same period a year ago. The July 2021 to August 2021 percent change was revised from up 0.7 percent to up 0.9 percent.
“Today’s retail sales data confirms the sheer power of the consumer to spend, and we expect this to continue,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement. “Despite persistent challenges related to the global pandemic, supply chain and labor shortages, retailers and their partners have shown resilience and ingenuity in getting the workforce, goods and systems in place to serve their customers and the communities where they operate.”
The National Restaurant Association, after analyzing the Census Bureau data, reported that eating and drinking places registered total sales of $72.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis in September, only slightly higher than the readings of $72.1 billion in July and $72.2 billion in August. However, in inflation-adjusted terms, eating and drinking place sales in September were down 0.5 percent from July’s level.
The delta variant was a factor in deteriorating business conditions, according to most restaurant operators polled by the NRA. In a September 2021 survey, fielded by the association, 78 percent of operators said their restaurant experienced a decline in customer demand for indoor on-premises dining, as a result of the increase in coronavirus cases due to the delta variant.
A strong majority of both fullservice operators (81 percent) and limited-service operators (75 percent) said the delta variant led to a decrease in customer demand for indoor on-premises dining.
“The ability to offer outdoor seating options was likely the only thing that propped up on-premises sales in recent weeks,” according to the NRA. Its survey findings show that 61 percent of operators that offer outdoor dining said their restaurant experienced an increase in customer demand for outdoor seating, as a result of the delta variant.”
Related: Food Costs Face Inflation; Acosta: Motivation to Cook at Home Wanes.
Image: Wegmans