THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.4 per cent to $66.9 billion in September, helped by gains at supermarkets and other grocery stores. A customer shops at a grocery store in Toronto, Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.4 per cent to $66.9 billion in September, helped by gains at supermarkets and other grocery stores.

The agency says sales at food and beverage retailers rose three percent this month.

The bigger move for the subsector came as supermarkets and other food retailers, excluding retailers, rose 3.3% and sales at beer, wine and spirits retailers rose with 4.4%.

Core retail sales, which exclude gas stations and fuel sellers and auto and parts dealers, rose 1.4 percent in September.

In volume terms, retail sales rose 0.8% in September.

Looking ahead, Statistics Canada said its advance retail sales estimates for October suggested sales rose 0.7 per cent, although it warned the figure would be revised.