The latest U.S. Census Bureau data show consumer spending remained rather resilient in May, with non-store retailers significantly outpacing foodservice.
The strongest takeaway from May’s retail sales report wasn’t that Americans kept spending. It was where they spent their money.
According to the Census Bureau’s Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services report, seasonally adjusted retail and foodservice sales reached $763.7 billion in May, up 0.9% from April and 6.9% from a year earlier.
Non-store retailers, which include e-commerce businesses, stood out.
Non-store sales climbed 12.2% from May 2025, far ahead of the 2.7% annual increase for food services and drinking places. Restaurant sales also slipped 0.1% from April, even as total retail activity continued to edge higher.
That contrast is likely to attract as much attention as the headline sales figure itself.
Retail trade overall increased 1% from April and 7.5% year over year, while gasoline stations recorded some of the report’s strongest gains, with sales up 3.4% from the previous month and 26.5% from a year earlier.
The Census Bureau noted that the estimates are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences but not for price changes, meaning they reflect sales in current dollars rather than inflation-adjusted purchasing activity.
Companies across the F&B industry often look beyond the top-line number to understand where demand is building and where it may be softening. Spending patterns can influence everything from inventory levels to purchasing decisions.
Businesses frequently use retail and foodservice trends to help guide sourcing, procurement, and inventory planning across the supply chain.
For grocery retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and restaurant operators, May’s report offers a nuanced picture. Consumers are still spending, but the momentum appears stronger in retail and particularly non-store retail than in foodservice. Whether that gap persists will be something many companies watch closely in the months ahead.
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