U.S. Retail and Food-Service Sales Rose 6.7% in June, Census Says

U.S. retail and food-service sales reached an estimated $768.6 billion in June, up 6.7% from the same month a year earlier, according to advance data released July 16 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The report shows continued year-over-year growth across retail and food-service establishments nationwide. But the latest month-to-month change was modest: sales increased 0.2% from May, a result that falls within the Census Bureau’s reported margin of error of approximately plus or minus 0.4 percentage points.

That distinction matters for retailers, restaurants and small businesses trying to assess current demand. The June figures provide the latest authoritative national snapshot before the government’s next advance sales release, scheduled for Aug. 14 and covering July activity.

What the June data shows

The estimated $768.6 billion in June sales includes retail and food-service establishments located throughout the United States. Compared with June 2025, the total was 6.7% higher.

Looking across the three-month period from April through June, total sales were up 6.4% from the same period a year earlier. That measure provides a broader view than a single month and also shows that sales remained above year-earlier levels through the second quarter’s final month.

The Census Bureau also revised its estimate for May. The month-to-month increase previously reported as 0.9% was revised to 1.0%.

Because the June report is an advance estimate, the figures can be subject to revision. The monthly increase is also small relative to the survey’s uncertainty range, so the 0.2% change should not be treated as a precise measure of a shift in demand from May.

Why the numbers matter

Retail and food-service sales are a key national indicator for businesses that depend on consumer purchases. The release gives companies and policymakers a current read on the dollar value of sales across establishments, while offering small businesses a broad benchmark for the market in which they operate.

However, the Census Bureau’s figures are not adjusted for price changes. The 6.7% year-over-year increase therefore should not be described as proof that inflation-adjusted consumer demand increased by the same amount. The data also do not establish that every retailer, restaurant or small business experienced comparable growth.

For consumers, the figures describe the total value of reported retail and food-service sales rather than how individual households fared or what any particular purchase cost. The release does not, on its own, explain the reasons behind the year-over-year increase or identify which businesses saw the strongest or weakest results.

What comes next

The next advance retail-sales report, covering July 2026, is scheduled for Aug. 14, 2026. That release will provide the next comparable month of national data and may offer more information about whether the modest June increase was followed by a larger change, another limited movement or a revision.

Until then, the June report’s clearest signals are the 6.7% year-over-year increase, the $768.6 billion estimated sales total and the 6.4% gain for April through June compared with a year earlier. The 0.2% monthly increase is best read with the Census Bureau’s margin of error and the advance status of the estimate in mind.