The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, Jan. 20, edition that Canada's holiday sales period commenced in November with a 0.2-per-cent decline in retail sales. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the data released by Statistics Canada on Friday revealed November's retail sales amounted to $66.6-billion, lower than many economists had expected. Core retail sales were down 0.6 per cent in the month. There was a 1.4-per-cent drop at food and beverage retailers and a 1.8-per-cent fall in general merchandise. Sales at supermarkets and other grocery retailers, excluding convenience stores, were down 1.6 per cent and beer, wine and liquor retailers experienced a 3.3-per-cent fall. CIBC Capital Markets economist Katherine Judge says, "The decrease in grocery store sales wasn't a prices story, but could possibly reflect consumers substituting toward lower-priced brands at stores, as grocery store prices are generally still rising uncomfortably fast." She adds, "Canadian consumers are increasingly struggling with higher interest rates." Rates remained high in 2023 as the Bank of Canada carried out hikes to attempt to get inflation down to its 2-per-cent target.