(AURN News) — Retail sales slipped again this week, signaling that consumers may be growing more cautious under the financial pressures of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that retail and food service sales fell 0.9% in May — the steepest monthly decline in more than a year.
Even grocery stores saw a dip — falling 0.8% from April — and restaurants and bars dropped 0.9%.
Online shopping was one of the few bright spots, with nonstore retailers up 0.9% month over month and 8.3% compared to last year.
But the broader trend raises concerns: Revisions now show sales fell in both April and May, weakening the picture of consumer demand that had helped prop up the economy earlier this year.
Retail sales excluding gas and autos — often used to measure core consumer spending — slipped 0.1%, suggesting working families are scaling back beyond just big-ticket items.
While overall year-over-year sales remain higher, the pace has slowed. That’s fueling debate over whether Trump’s economic policies are leaving behind the very consumers who drive the economy forward.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
