Non-food sales increased 2.4% on the month in July, while sales of food items inched up 0.3%. Fuel sales, however, edged down 0.5% from the previous month. The data are adjusted for the number of working days and seasonal factors.
In annual terms, adjusted retail sales advanced 4.4% in July, boosted by higher sales in all sectors, INS data showed.
Fuel sales rose 5.1% on the year in July, while food and non-food sales increased 3% and 2.8% on the year, respectively.
In January through July, adjusted retail sales were up 4.4% compared with the year-earlier period.
In unadjusted data, retail sales increased 4.5% in July from a month earlier and were up 4.6% compared with the same month of 2011.