US retail sales recover in March but uncertainty grows over tariffs

Many consumers anticipated purchases of durable goods such as household appliances and clothing, fearing price increases.

The monitoring shows that ‘core’ sales (excluding restaurants, cars and fuel) rose by 0.4 % month-on-month and 5.07 % year-on-year. The most dynamic sectors in March were digital products ( 27.6% year-on-year), sport, hobby and book shops ( 6.6%) and department stores ( 7.6%). By contrast, sales of household appliances and personal care products declined slightly.

In Q1 2025, total retail sales grew by 4.52% annually, while core sales rose by 4.96%. However, the NRF points out that the economic uncertainty generated by duties could dampen consumer confidence, causing consumers to save more than spend.