Coronavirus: monthly retail sales development by sector U.S. 2021

Between November and December 2021, total retail sales in the United States had decreased by roughly two and a half percent. The coronavirus pandemic had caused major blows to U.S. retail when it first became a global emergency, i.e., during March and April 2020. As of January 2022, the United States had accounted for over 60 million COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

Which industries did COVID-19 affect the most?

The COVID-19 crisis caused consumers to shift their spending focus towards necessities: in other words, people in the United States had been spending more on groceries and household supplies. Most other industries, including out-of-home entertainment, restaurants, apparel and footwear stores, saw a substantial decrease in consumer spending as a result of the virus outbreak.

Hoarding behavior among consumers

Not only have consumers changed what they buy, there have also been times when shoppers would purchase larger quantities: during the first weeks of the pandemic, hoarding was very prominent among households in the United States. Over the later quarters, pantry filling and hoarding behavior fluctuated, but showed a mostly downward trend.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

Monthly retail sales development in the United States during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from February 2020 to December 2021, by retail sector

Characteristic	Total retail	Motor vehicle & parts dealers	Furniture & home furniture stores	Electronics & appliance stores	Building material & garden equipment & supplies dealers	Food & beverage stores	Health & personal care stores	Gasoline stations	Clothing & clothing accessories stores	Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, & book stores	General merchandise stores	Miscellaneous store retailers	Nonstore retailers	Food services & drinking places
Feb to Mar 20	-8.3%	-25.7%	-21.1%	-11%	-0.5%	26.9%	5%	-16.5%	-49.4%	-17.8%	7.1%	-14.1%	4.9%	-
Mar to Apr 20	-14.7%	-12.3%	-48.8%	-43.2%	-2.4%	-12.8%	-14.8%	-24.4%	-75.2%	-33.7%	-13.6%	-25.9%	9.5%	-
Apr to May 20	18.2%	48.7%	79.1%	36.5%	12.2%	2.2%	1.5%	11.9%	176.7%	78%	5.9%	16.4%	7.2%	-
May to Jun 20	8.4%	9.1%	37.4%	37.6%	0.8%	-1.5%	6.9%	14.8%	98.8%	27.6%	2.1%	21.7%	-2.1%	-
Jun to Jul 20	1.2%	-1.2%	0%	22.9%	-2.9%	0.2%	3.6%	6.2%	5.7%	-5%	-0.2%	6.2%	0.7%	-
Jul to Aug 20	0.6%	0.2%	2.1%	0.8%	2%	-1.2%	0.8%	0.4%	2.9%	-5.7%	-0.4%	-0.2%	0%	-
Aug to Sep 20	1.9%	3.6%	0.5%	-1.6%	0.6%	0%	1.7%	1.5%	11%	5.7%	1.8%	1.1%	0.5%	-
Sep to Oct 20	0.3%	0.4%	-0.4%	1.2%	0.9%	-0.2%	-0.1%	0.4%	-4.2%	-4.2%	-1.1%	-0.9%	3.1%	-
Nov to Dec 20	-1%	2%	-0.7%	-6.5%	-0.1%	-1.4%	1%	6.5%	2.6%	-1.4%	-1.8%	5.5%	-7.3%	-4.6%
Dec 20 to Jan 21	5.3%	3.1%	12%	14.7%	4.6%	2.4%	1.3%	4%	5%	8%	5.5%	1.8%	11%	6.9%
Jan to Feb 21	-3%	-4.2%	-3.8%	-1.9%	-3%	0%	-1.3%	3.6%	-2.8%	-7.5%	-5.4%	-3.4%	-5.4%	-2.5%
Feb to Mar 21	10.7%	17.1%	8.1%	17.5%	13.9%	0.7%	8%	10.2%	22.7%	24.2%	9.7%	10.8%	4.7%	13.5%
Mar to Apr 21	0.9%	4.3%	0.7%	1.5%	-2.3%	0.7%	1%	-1.1%	-2%	-2.3%	-2.2%	-0.6%	-0.3%	4.5%
Apr to May 21	-1.7%	-4.6%	-2.3%	-5.5%	-5.3%	1%	-1.2%	0.2%	2.2%	-1.7%	-3.1%	-3.5%	-2.3%	3.7%
May to Jun 21	0.7%	-2.2%	-2.2%	4.5%	-1.4%	0.8%	4.5%	3.6%	3.7%	-1.8%	1.7%	4%	0.2%	2.4%
Jun to Jul 21	-1.8%	-4.6%	-0.4%	-1%	-1%	-0.8%	-0.8%	2%	-2.7%	-1.9%	-1%	0.5%	-4.6%	1.3%
Jul to Aug 21	0.9%	-3.3%	1.8%	-4.3%	1.1%	2.2%	0.2%	1%	0.4%	-3.3%	3.4%	1.7%	5.7%	0.2%
Aug to Sep 21	0.7%	0.5%	0.2%	-0.9%	0.1%	0.7%	-1.4%	1.8%	1.1%	3.7%	2%	1.8%	0.6%	0.3%
Sep to Oct 21	1.8%	1.7%	2.8%	3.1%	2.5%	1%	-1.4%	3.7%	0.2%	0.7%	1.5%	1.7%	4.1%	0.3%
Oct to Nov 21	0.3%	-0.1%	0%	-4.6%	0.7%	1.3%	-0.6%	1.7%	0.5%	1.3%	-1.2%	-0.3%	0%	1%
Nov 21 to Dec 21	-2.5%	-1.6%	-7.4%	-4.1%	1.2%	-0.2%	0.3%	0.4%	-3.4%	-6%	-1.7%	-0.7%	-11.4%	-0.6%

Download

Source

Show detailed source information?

Already a member?

Source

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Release date

February 2022

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

February 2020 to December 2021

Supplementary notes

These figures are revised estimates based on early reports obtained from a small sample of firms selected from the larger Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) sample.
Figures are seasonally unadjusted.

Figures for the period of October to November 2020 were unavailable.

Citation formats

Statistics on " Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S. "

The most important statistics

Other statistics that may interest you Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.

Global overview

U.S. retail landscape

E-commerce

Foot traffic

Shopping behavior

Further related statistics

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on e-commerce in the U.S.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic

COVID-19 and mental health

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Latin America

Statista Accounts: Access All Statistics. Starting from $2,388 USD / Year

Learn more about how Statista can support your business.

U.S. monthly retail sales development during COVID-19 outbreak 2020-2021, by sector

Which industries did COVID-19 affect the most?

Hoarding behavior among consumers

Monthly retail sales development in the United States during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from February 2020 to December 2021, by retail sector

Other statistics on the topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.

Statistics on " Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S. "

Other statistics that may interest you Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Which industries did COVID-19 affect the most?

Hoarding behavior among consumers

Monthly retail sales development in the United States during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from February 2020 to December 2021, by retail sector

Other statistics on the topicCoronavirus (COVID-19): impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.

Statistics on " Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S. "

Other statistics that may interest you Coronavirus: impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Other statistics on the topic
Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on the retail landscape in the U.S.