FOR RELEASE AT 8:30 AM EDT, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022

ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICES, FEBRUARY 2022
Release Number: CB22-41
Intention to Revise: Monthly retail sales estimates will be revised based on the results of the 2020 Annual
Retail Trade Survey and the Service Annual Survey. Revised not adjusted estimates and corresponding
adjusted estimates are scheduled for release on April 25, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
March 16, 2022 — The U.S. Census Bureau announced the following advance estimates of U.S. retail and
food services sales for February 2022:

Percent Change in Retail and Food Services Sales from

ADVANCE MONTHLY SALES
Previous Month
Data adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences but not for
price changes.
7
February 2022 $658.1 billion 0.3%*
5
3
January 2022
$656.1 billion 4.9%
1
(revised)
-1
-3
Next release: April 14, 2022
-5
* The 90 percent confidence interval includes zero. There is insufficient statistical December January February
evidence to conclude that the actual change is different from zero. Total Ex Auto Auto Gen Mer
Data adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences but Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Advanced Monthly Retail Trade Survey,
not for price changes. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Advanced Monthly Retail March 16, 2022
Trade Survey, March 16, 2022

Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for February 2022, adjusted for seasonal variation
and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $658.1 billion, an increase of 0.3
percent (±0.5 percent)* from the previous month, and 17.6 percent (±0.9 percent) above February 2021.
Total sales for the December 2021 through February 2022 period were up 16.0 percent (±0.7 percent)
from the same period a year ago. The December 2021 to January 2022 percent change was revised from
up 3.8 percent (±0.5 percent) to up 4.9 percent (±0.2 percent).
Retail trade sales were virtually unchanged (±0.4 percent)* from January 2022, but up 15.9 percent (±0.7
percent) above last year. Gasoline stations were up 36.4 percent (±1.8 percent) from February 2021, while
food services and drinking places were up 33.0 percent (±4.6 percent) from last year.
General Information
The March 2022 Advance Monthly Retail report is scheduled for release on April 14, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. EDT.
Data Inquiries Media Inquiries
Economic Indicators Division, Retail Indicator Branch Public Information Office
301-763-2713 301-763-3030
eid.retail.indicator.branch@census.gov pio@census.gov
View the full schedule in the Economic Briefing Room: <https://www.census.gov/economic-indicators/>.
The full text and tables of this release can be found at <www.census.gov/retail/>.

EXPLANATORY NOTES
The advance estimates are based on a subsample of the Census Bureau’s full retail and food services
sample. A stratified random sampling method is used to select approximately 5,500 retail and food
services firms whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the complete universe of
over three million retail and food services firms.

Survey Description
The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Advance Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services Survey to provide
an early estimate of monthly sales by kind of business for retail and food service firms located in the
United States. Each month, questionnaires are mailed to a probability sample of approximately 5,500
employer firms selected from the larger Monthly Retail Trade Survey. Advance sales estimates are
computed using a link relative estimator. For each detailed industry, we compute a ratio of current-to-
previous month weighted sales using data from units for which we have obtained usable responses for
both the current and previous month. For each detailed industry, the advance total sales estimates for the
current month is computed by multiplying this ratio by the preliminary sales estimate for the previous
month (derived from the larger MRTS) at the appropriate industry level. Total estimates for broader
industries are computed as the sum of the detailed industry estimates. The link relative estimate is used
because imputation is not performed for most nonrespondents in MARTS. For a limited number of
nonresponding companies that have influential effects on the estimates, sales may be estimated based on
historical performance of that company. The monthly estimates are benchmarked to the annual survey
estimates from the Annual Retail Trade Survey once available. The estimates are adjusted for seasonal
variation and holiday and trading day differences. Additional information on MARTS and MRTS can be
found on the Census Bureau website at: <www.census.gov/retail>.

Reliability of Estimates
Because the estimates presented in this report are based on a sample survey, they contain sampling error
and nonsampling error.

Sampling error is the difference between the estimate and the result that would be obtained from a
complete enumeration of the sampling frame conducted under the same survey conditions. This error
occurs because only a subset of the entire sampling frame is measured in a sample survey. Standard errors
and coefficients of variation (CV), as given in Table 3 of this report, are estimated measures of sampling
variation.
Data Inquiries Media Inquiries
Economic Indicators Division, Retail Indicator Branch Public Information Office
301-763-2713 301-763-3030
eid.retail.indicator.branch@census.gov pio@census.gov
The margin of sampling error, as used on page 1, gives a range about the estimate which is a 90 percent
confidence interval. If, for example, the percent change estimate is +1.2 percent and its estimated
standard error is 0.9 percent, then the margin of sampling error is ±1.753 x 0.9 percent or ±1.6 percent,
and the 90 percent confidence interval is –0.4 percent to +2.8 percent. If the interval contains 0, then one
does not have sufficient evidence to conclude at the 90 percent confidence level that the change is
different from zero and therefore the change is not statistically significant. Estimated changes shown in
the text are statistically significant unless otherwise noted. For a monthly total, the median estimated
coefficient of variation is given. The resulting confidence interval is the estimated value ±1.753 x CV x (the
estimated monthly total). The Census Bureau recommends that individuals using estimates in this report
incorporate this information into their analyses, as sampling error could affect the conclusions drawn from
the estimates.
Nonsampling error encompasses all other factors that contribute to the total error of a sample survey
estimate. This type of error can occur because of nonresponse, insufficient coverage of the universe of
retail businesses, mistakes in the recording and coding of data, and other errors of collection, response,
coverage, or processing. Although nonsampling error is not measured directly, the Census Bureau employs
quality control procedures throughout the process to minimize this type of error.

Statement Regarding COVID-19 Impact

The Census Bureau continues to monitor response and data quality and has determined that estimates in
this release meet publication standards. For more information, see COVID-19 FAQs.

Weather Information
For information on the impact of weather events on the compilation of this report, please see the
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on our website at:
<www.census.gov/retail/marts_weather_faqs.html>

RESOURCES
The Rest of the Consumer Spending Story
Retail and services together represent what’s commonly referred to as consumer spending. Quarterly
Services Survey (QSS) revenue comprises roughly 2/3 of the personal consumption expenditures
component of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
The fourth quarter 2021 Quarterly Services Report was released on March 11, 2022 at 10:00 AM. Learn
about historical revenue trends for certain industries going back 15 years and other data, such as in-
patient days and discharges for hospitals, by visiting <https://www.census.gov/services/index.html>
Data Inquiries Media Inquiries
Economic Indicators Division, Retail Indicator Branch Public Information Office
301-763-2713 301-763-3030
eid.retail.indicator.branch@census.gov pio@census.gov
API
The Census Bureau’s application programming interface lets developers create custom apps to reach new
users and makes key demographic, socio-economic and housing statistics more accessible than ever
before. <www.census.gov/developers/>

FRED Mobile App

Receive the latest updates on the nation’s key economic indicators by downloading
the FRED App <https://fred.stlouisfed.org/fred-mobile/> for both Apple and
Android devices. FRED, the signature database of the Federal Reserve Bank of St.
Louis, now incorporates the Census Bureau’s 13 economic indicators.
###
* The 90 percent confidence interval includes zero. There is insufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the actual change is different from zero.

Data Inquiries Media Inquiries

Economic Indicators Division, Retail Indicator Branch Public Information Office
301-763-2713 301-763-3030
eid.retail.indicator.branch@census.gov pio@census.gov
Table 1.  Estimated Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, by Kind of Business
(Total sales estimates are shown in millions of dollars and are based on data from the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey, Monthly Retail Trade Survey, 
  and administrative records.)
2
Not Adjusted Adjusted
1
NAICS 2 Month Total 2022 2021 2022 2021
Kind of Business
code % Chg. Feb.3 Jan. Dec. Feb. Jan. Feb.3 Jan. Dec. Feb.  Jan.
2022 2021 (a) (p) (r) (a) (p) (r) (r) (r)
Retail & food services, 
  total ……………………………….………..………1,163,719 15.5 577,318 586,401 710,619 490,646 517,119 658,128 656,117 625,459 559,554 575,520
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts) … 925,052 15.5 456,445 468,607 583,401 387,850 412,864 522,879 521,987 499,957 444,173 456,714
  Total (excl. gasoline stations) …………… 1,064,547 13.9 527,757 536,790 658,326 454,351 479,905 600,633 601,539 569,946 517,400 534,849
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts &  
     gasoline stations) ………………………. 825,880 13.6 406,884 418,996 531,108 351,555 375,650 465,384 467,409 444,444 402,019 416,043
     Retail …..…………………………….……….. 1,030,724 14.0 509,967 520,757 636,842 440,019 464,362 584,197 583,981 552,629 503,981 518,547
4
GAFO ………………………....……...……...…………..………..……… (*) (*) (*) 108,622 168,596 95,043 102,333 (*) 128,271 123,937 111,915 118,852
 
441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers …….……… 238,667 15.3 120,873 117,794 127,218 102,796 104,255 135,249 134,130 125,502 115,381 118,806
4411, 4412        Auto & other motor veh. dealers . 220,636 15.0 111,889 108,747 117,718 95,277 96,537 125,155 123,999 115,523 106,933 110,202
44111            New car dealers ……………….………. (*) (*) (*) 87,139 95,693 77,194 79,954 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)
4413        Auto parts, acc. & tire stores………… (*)
  (*) (*) 9,047 9,500 7,519 7,718 (*) 10,131 9,979 8,448 8,604
442 Furniture & home furn. stores …………… 21,616 4.4 10,743 10,873 13,244 10,003 10,707 12,320 12,441 11,577 11,471 12,098
4421        Furniture stores …………………..………. (*) (*) (*) 5,724 6,644 5,675 6,099 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)
4422        Home furnishings stores ………..……… (*)
  (*) (*) (S) (S) (S) (S) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)
443 Electronics & appliance stores …………… 13,219
  ‐0.4 6,364 6,855 10,580 6,203 7,066 7,273 7,316 7,168 7,089 7,533
444 Building material & garden eq. &  
  supplies dealers…………………….………..… 68,151 12.0 34,014 34,137 38,707 29,605 31,229 43,615 43,217 42,079 37,984 39,590
4441        Building mat. & sup. dealers ………… (*)
  (*) (*) 30,053 33,639 25,637 27,143 (*) 37,850 36,564 32,742 34,142
445 Food & beverage stores…………….……… 147,915 7.5 71,113 76,802 84,629 65,819 71,726 78,099 78,498 77,701 72,353 72,748
4451        Grocery stores …………………..………..… 133,764 8.0 63,950 69,814 73,625 59,018 64,785 69,662 70,235 69,589 64,290 64,656
4453        Beer, wine & liquor stores …………… (*)
  (*) (*) 4,995 7,798 4,968 5,087 (*) 5,918 5,789 5,907 5,936
446 Health & personal care stores …….……… 62,040 8.8 29,895 32,145 36,995 27,494 29,509 32,284 32,868 32,797 29,659 30,204
44611        Pharmacies & drug stores ……………… (*)
  (*) (*) 27,725 30,504 23,466 25,420 (*) 27,836 27,781 24,805 25,548
447 Gasoline stations ……………………………..… 99,172   34.9 49,561 49,611 52,293 36,295 37,214 57,495 54,578 55,513 42,154 40,671
448 Clothing & clothing accessories  
  stores …………………………….…..………..… 40,634   25.8 21,698 18,936 40,977 16,568 15,740 26,463 26,184 25,815 20,261 21,560
44811        Men's clothing stores …………………… (*) (*) (*) (S) (S) 362 349 (*) (S) (S) 459 427
44812        Women's clothing stores ………..…… (*) (*) (*) 2,620 4,403 2,069 2,043 (*) 3,466 3,356 2,499 2,685
44814        Family clothing stores …………………… (*) (*) (*) 6,980 15,080 5,919 5,903 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA)
4482        Shoe stores ………………………………..… (*)
  (*) (*) 2,181 4,478 2,163 2,213 (*) 3,231 3,290 2,619 3,198
451 Sporting goods, hobby, musical  
  instrument, & book stores ……………… 14,637
  5.7 7,167 7,470 13,175 6,424 7,421 8,970 8,819 8,932 8,030 8,579
452 General merchandise stores……….……… 123,670 8.6 60,993 62,677 87,595 54,183 59,643 71,044 71,184 68,093 62,978 66,942
4521        Department stores ………………….…… 18,857 16.3 9,650 9,207 18,468 7,881 8,327 12,162 11,974 10,909 9,900 10,698
4529        Other general merch. stores…. ..…… (*) (*) (*) 53,470 69,127 46,302 51,316 (*) 59,210 57,184 53,078 56,244
45291            Warehouse clubs &    
             supercenters………………….……….. (*) (*) (*) 46,554 58,798 39,956 44,568 (*) 51,102 49,121 45,664 48,443
45299            All oth. gen. merch. stores………… (*)
  (*) (*) 6,916 10,329 6,346 6,748 (*) 8,108 8,063 7,414 7,801
453 Miscellaneous store retailers ……..……… 26,295
  21.2 13,102 13,193 16,300 10,515 11,175 15,536 15,251 14,931 12,393 12,807
454 Nonstore retailers …………………..……….. 174,708 14.3 84,444 90,264 115,129 74,114 78,677 95,849 99,495 82,521 84,228 87,009
4541        Elect. shopping & m/o houses ….…… (*) (*) (*) 79,325 104,890 65,004 69,830 (*) 89,836 73,762 75,939 78,993
722 Food services & drinking places ……….. 132,995 28.6 67,351 65,644 73,777 50,627 52,757 73,931 72,136 72,830 55,573 56,973

   (*) Advance estimates are not available for this kind of business.      (NA)  Not available     (a)  Advance estimate     (p)  Preliminary estimate     (r)  Revised estimate

   (S)   Estimate does not meet publication standards because of high sampling variability (coefficient of variation is greater than 30%), poor response quality                            
          (total quantity response rate is less than 50%), or other concerns about the estimate's quality.
   (1)   For a full description of the NAICS codes used in this table, see <https://www.census.gov/naics/>.
   (2)   Estimates are concurrently adjusted for seasonal variation and for holiday and trading day differences, but not for price changes. Concurrent seasonal adjustment 
          uses all available unadjusted estimates as input to the X‐13ARIMA‐SEATS program.  The factors derived from the program are used in calculating all seasonally
          adjusted estimates shown in this table.  Year‐to‐date seasonally adjusted sales estimates are not tabulated.  Adjustment factors and explanatory material can be found
          on the Internet at <http://www.census.gov/retail>.
   (3)   Advance estimates are based on early reports obtained from a small sample of firms selected from the larger Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) sample.   
          All other estimates are from the MRTS sample.
   (4)   GAFO represents firms which specialize in department store types of merchandise and is comprised of furniture & home furnishings (442), electronics & appliances (443),   
          clothing & accessories (448), sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book  (451), general merchandise (452), office supply, stationery, and gift stores (4532).
   Source:   U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey, March 16, 2022. Table 3 provides estimated measures of sampling variability.  Additional information on 
               confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at
               <www.census.gov/retail/how_surveys_are_collected.html>.
Table 2.  Estimated Change in Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, by Kind of Business
(Estimates are shown as percents and are based on data from the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey,  Monthly Retail Trade Survey,
 and administrative records.)
Percent Change1
Dec. 2021
Feb. 2022 Advance Jan. 2022 Preliminary through
NAICS Kind of Business from ‐‐ from ‐‐ Feb. 2022 from ‐‐
code Sep. 2021 Dec. 2020
Jan. 2022 Feb. 2021 Dec. 2021 Jan. 2021 through through
(p) (r) (r) (r) Nov. 2021 Feb. 2021
Retail & food services, 
  total ………………………………..…………..…… 0.3 17.6 4.9 14.0 1.7 16.0
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts) ….. 0.2 17.7 4.4 14.3 1.0 16.8
  Total (excl. gasoline stations) ……………… ‐0.2 16.1 5.5 12.5 1.4 14.3
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts &  
     gasoline stations) ……………………….……… ‐0.4
  15.8 5.2 12.3 0.6 14.7
     Retail ………………………..………..………….. 0.0
  15.9 5.7 12.6 1.9 14.1
441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers ……………… 0.8 17.2 6.9 12.9 4.4 13.2
4411, 4412        Auto & other motor veh. dealers … 0.9
  17.0 7.3 12.5 4.3 12.7
442 Furniture & home furn. stores ……………… ‐1.0
  7.4 7.5 2.8 ‐1.9 6.3
443 Electronics & appliance stores …….……… ‐0.6
  2.6 2.1 ‐2.9 ‐9.6 3.2
444 Building material & garden eq. &  
  supplies dealers………………………………… 0.9
  14.8 2.7 9.2 6.0 12.2  
445 Food & beverage stores………………………… ‐0.5 7.9 1.0 7.9 1.0 8.2
4451        Grocery stores …………………….…………. ‐0.8
  8.4 0.9 8.6 1.0 8.7
446 Health & personal care stores ……………… ‐1.8
  8.9 0.2 8.8 1.1 9.1
447 Gasoline stations ……………………..………… 5.3
  36.4 ‐1.7 34.2 4.2 37.9
448 Clothing & clothing accessories  
  stores ……………………….……………………..… 1.1
  30.6 1.4 21.4 ‐1.6 26.1
451 Sporting goods, hobby, musical  
  instrument, & book stores ………………… 1.7
  11.7 ‐1.3 2.8 ‐5.1 9.8
452 General merchandise stores………………… ‐0.2 12.8 4.5 6.3 ‐1.2 10.3
4521        Department stores ………………………. 1.6
  22.8 9.8 11.9 ‐3.5 18.7
453 Miscellaneous store retailers ……….……… 1.9
  25.4 2.1 19.1 2.7 20.4
454 Nonstore retailers …………………….………… ‐3.7
  13.8 20.6 14.4 1.7 13.0
722 Food services & drinking places ………….. 2.5 33.0 ‐1.0 26.6 0.2 33.8

(p)  Preliminary estimate         (r)   Revised estimate  
(1)  Estimates shown in this table are derived from adjusted estimates provided  in Table 1 of this report.
Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey, March 16, 2022. Table 3 provides estimated measures of sampling variability.  
            Additional information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at  
            <www.census.gov/retail/how_surveys_are_collected.html>.
Table 3.   Estimated Measures of Sampling Variability and Revision to Advance Estimates Feb. 2022
(Estimates are shown as percents and are based on data from the Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey and Monthly Retail Trade Survey)
Median standard error Revision for month‐
Median Percent change to‐month change
NAICS Code Kind of Business CV Previous Mo. Previous Qtr. Current Mo.  Median
Current Mo. to to to same  Average absolute
(%) Current Mo. Current Qtr. Mo. Last Yr. revision revision
Retail & food services, 
  total ………………..………………………………… 0.8 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.4
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts) ……… 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.3
  Total (excl. gasoline stations) ……………… 0.8 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.4
  Total (excl. motor vehicle & parts &  
     gasoline stations) ……………………………… 0.9 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.3
  Retail, total …..…………………………………… 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.6
441 Motor vehicle & parts dealers ……………… 1.5 0.8 0.5 1.3 0.3 0.6
4411, 4412     Auto & other motor veh. dealers ………… 1.6 0.9 0.5 1.4 0.3 0.8
442 Furniture & home furn. stores……………… 2.9 1.0 0.7 1.6 0.3 1.4
443 Electronics & appliance stores ……………… 1.8 0.6 0.4 1.0 ‐0.3 1.2
444 Building material & garden eq. &  
  supplies dealers…………………………………… 2.4 0.6 0.6 1.3 0.2 0.3
445 Food & beverage stores………………………… 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.0 0.2
4451        Grocery stores ………………………………. 0.7 0.1 0.2 0.6 0.0 0.3
446 Health & personal care stores ……………… 3.7 0.7 0.4 1.8 0.3 0.9
447 Gasoline stations ………………………………… 1.1 0.4 0.4 1.0 0.4 0.5
448 Clothing & clothing accessories  
  stores ………………………………………………… 2.1 0.8 0.7 2.3 1.0 0.8
451 Sporting goods, hobby, musical  
  instrument, & book stores ………………..… 2.7 0.7 0.9 1.6 0.1 0.8
452 General merchandise stores………………… 1.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.2
4521        Department stores …………………………… 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2
453 Miscellaneous store retailers ……………… 4.8 2.6 1.6 4.8 0.2 1.1
454 Nonstore retailers ………………………………… 1.5 0.4 0.3 0.9 ‐0.3 1.4
722 Food services & drinking places …………… 3.7 1.1 0.8 2.6 0.3 0.3
(1)  Estimated measures of sampling variability are based on estimates not adjusted for seasonal variation or holiday or trading day variation.  Medians are based
       on estimates for the most recent 12 months. 

(2) These columns provide measures of the difference between the advance‐to‐preliminary and preliminary‐to‐final estimates of month‐to‐month change for the
      same pair of months as measured by the Advance sample and MRTS sample.  The average and median revisions are based on estimates for the most
      recent 12 months.
Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey, March 16, 2022. Additional information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 
          nonsampling error, sample design, and definitions may be found at <www.census.gov/retail/how_surveys_are_collected.html>.