US Retail Sales Jump 1.2 Percent as Gasoline Station Receipts Run 21 Percent Above a Year Ago
US retail and food services sales rose 1.2 percent in August, give or take 0.4 percent, to 773.9 billion dollars, the Census Bureau said on 16 September. Sales were 6.0 percent higher than a year earlier. July was revised to a 0.5 percent fall from 0.6 percent. The figures are adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects but not for price changes.
The pump takes a bigger share
Gasoline stations lifted sales 3.1 percent in the month and 21.0 percent from August 2025, to 62.3 billion dollars. On our calculation stations accounted for 10.8 billion dollars of the 43.9 billion dollar rise in total sales over the year, about a quarter, and they make up 8.1 percent of all sales, up from 7.1 percent a year ago.
Excluding gasoline stations, sales rose 1.1 percent in the month and 4.9 percent over the year. Excluding both motor vehicles and gasoline, the rise was 1.2 percent and 5.6 percent. Over June to August, total sales were 6.0 percent above the same 3 months last year.
| Category | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 1.2% | 6.0% |
| Excluding gasoline stations | 1.1% | 4.9% |
| Gasoline stations | 3.1% | 21.0% |
| Nonstore retailers | 2.6% | 9.9% |
| Food services and drinking places | 1.2% | 5.8% |
| Motor vehicles and parts | 0.6% | 2.1% |
| Building materials | -0.2% | 5.1% |
| Food and beverage stores | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Advance estimates for August 2026, seasonally adjusted, not adjusted for prices. Month compares with July, year with August 2025.
Online sales lead the monthly gain
Nonstore retailers, which include online sellers, added 3.6 billion dollars in the month, up 2.6 percent. On our calculation that is 38 percent of the 9.5 billion dollar monthly increase, twice the 19 percent share from gasoline stations. Restaurants and bars rose 1.2 percent to 105.1 billion dollars.
Some categories lagged. Building materials dealers slipped 0.2 percent and department stores 0.8 percent. Food and beverage stores were only 0.5 percent above last August, a sharp contrast with the 21 percent at the pump.
Why it matters: These are dollar figures with no adjustment for prices, and a quarter of the annual rise went through gasoline stations. On our reading a broader signal is the 1.2 percent monthly gain outside autos and gasoline, together with strong online and restaurant spending, which points to household spending holding up in August.
Outlook: The Census Bureau has tentatively scheduled revised retail estimates, reflecting its annual revision, for 28 September at 14:00 GMT.
Sources: US Census Bureau.
