It was the eighth consecutive month of contraction and the steepest since April.

Sales declined at a faster pace for both non-food products (-4.8% vs -0.1% in August) and automotive fuel in specialized stores (-2.1% vs -0.9%).

Meanwhile, sales decreased less for food, beverages & tobacco (-2.5% vs -3.1%).

On a monthly comparison basis, retail activity slumped 7.6% in September, shifting from an upwardly revised 4.3% increase in the previous month.