Canadian consumers continue to shop less amid growing signs of an economic slowdown.
Retail sales across Canada declined 0.8% to $69.6 billion U.S. in July as consumers spent less at supermarkets and grocery stores, according to data from Statistics Canada.
In all, retail sales during July were down in eight of nine subsectors, with motor vehicle and parts dealers as the only group to see an increase, albeit a modest gain of 0.2%.
Analysts attribute the soft retail sales to a slowdown in employment and weak wage gains, which have made Canadian consumers more selective and frugal.
Canada lost more than 100,000 jobs in July and August of this year.
For July, sales at food and beverage retailers fell 1.3%, while sales at supermarkets and other grocery retailers dropped 2.5%.
Sales at clothing, shoe, and jewelry retailers fell 2.9% during the month. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline and motor vehicle sales, fell 1.2% in July.
The Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark interest rate on Sept. 17 by 25-basis points to 2.50%, citing evidence of a weakening economy.
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