Reasons to Read

In May 2025, US retail sales (excluding gasoline and automobile sales) increased by nearly 4%, representing a deceleration from the previous month. Using data from the US Census Bureau, we analyze US retail sales in May 2025, in total and by sector.

Data in this research report are:

• Year-over-year changes in US total retail sales (excluding gasoline and automobiles), May 2024–May 2025
• Year-over-year changes in retail sales by sector, April and May 2025

Other relevant research:

• US Retail and Consumer Outlook: June 2025
• US Retail in the Rest of 2025: Normalized Demand and Leaner Inventories Ahead of a High-Stakes Holiday Season
• Retail Under Pressure: How Will Tariffs Disrupt the Back-to-School and Holiday Seasons?
• Our monthly reports keep you up to date on retail sales (in total and by sector) and key consumer indicators in the US.
• All our coverage of macroeconomics and tariffs
• The US Retail Sales Databank features retail sales values and year-over-year growth, in total and by sector, by year and by month. This Databank is updated monthly.