Same Story as Last Year for Week 2 Of May
Last May, we saw a slight drop in sales during the second week of the month. This year, independent retailers reported same-store sales were down 0.67 percent during the first week of May compared to the same period in 2018. Customer counts were down 0.60 percent.
While sales continue to edge closer to even with the previous year, the spring continues to show a decrease in sales. With half of the month ahead, independent grocers will look to the next two weeks of May to get back on track.
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From December 2017 to December 2018, employment increased in 296 of the 349 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday. In December 2018, national employment (as measured by the QCEW program) increased to 148.1 million, a 1.5 percent increase over the year.