In an August 17th release, the U.S. Census Bureau noted that retail sales during July were 1.2 percent higher than in June 2020 and 2.7 percent greater than the corresponding month in 2019. Retail sales are recovering after store closings in April and May. The increases in sales during July 2020, compared to July 2019, in designated sectors include:
- Electronics up 22.9 percent
- Clothing and Accessories up 5.7 percent
- Health and Personal Care up 3.6 percent
- Grocery and Beverage up 0.2 percent
- Building Materials and Garden Supply down 2.9 percent
- Sporting Goods up 5 percent