Retail Sales Surge 1.4% in March, Higher Than Expected

The Census Bureau's Advance Retail Sales Report for March showed a surge in consumer spending last month, with headline sales rising 1.4%. This is up from February's 0.2% monthly growth and is the largest monthly increase since January 2023. The latest reading was higher than the expected 1.3% growth.

For an inflation-adjusted perspective on retail sales, take a look at our Real Retail Sales commentary.

Retail Sales Month Over Month

Here is the introduction from today's report:

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March 2025, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $734.9 billion, up 1.4 percent (±0.5 percent) from the previous month, and up 4.6 percent (±0.5 percent) from March 2024. Total sales for the January 2025 through March 2025 period were up 4.1 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The January 2025 to February 2025 percent change was unrevised from up 0.2 percent (±0.2 percent)*.

Retail trade sales were up 1.4 percent (±0.5 percent) from February 2025, and up 4.6 percent (±0.5 percent) from last year. Motor vehicle and parts dealers were up 8.8 percent (±1.8 percent) from last year, while nonstore retailers were up 4.8 percent (±1.4 percent) from March 2024.