According to the results of the 2019 Annual Survey of Economic Activities – Import/Export, Wholesale and Retail Trades, and Accommodation and Food Services Sectors released today (December 8) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total receipts (i.e. sales and other receipts) of the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors amounted to $4,948.4 billion in 2019, representing a decrease of 8.3% compared with 2018; on a per establishment basis, total receipts decreased by 4.4% compared with 2018 to $33.7 million in 2019.

     Operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees of the above sectors altogether amounted to $4,577.3 billion in 2019, representing a decrease of 8.2% compared with 2018; on a per establishment basis, they altogether decreased by 4.3% compared with 2018 to $31.2 million in 2019.

     Gross surplus of the sectors, which is equal to total receipts less operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees, decreased by 9.4% compared with 2018 to $371.2 billion in 2019; on a per establishment basis, gross surplus was $2.5 million in 2019, which decreased by 5.5% compared with 2018. For all these sectors taken together, gross surplus accounted for 7.5% of total receipts in 2019, which was similar to that in 2018.

     Industry value added of the sectors, which is a measure of their total contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product, amounted to $623.4 billion in 2019, which decreased by 8.7% compared with 2018; on a per establishment basis, industry value added was $4.2 million in 2019, which decreased by 4.9% compared with 2018. 

     According to the survey results, it was estimated that the aforementioned sectors comprised some 146 700 establishments and engaged about 1 048 200 persons, or an average of 7.1 persons per establishment, in 2019.

     In the import/export trade, total receipts amounted to $3,960.4 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $3,645.8 billion in 2019. Gross surplus decreased from $330.9 billion in 2018 to $314.7 billion in 2019, accounting for 7.9% of total receipts in 2019. Industry value added decreased by 5.7% compared with 2018 to $451.0 billion.

     In the wholesale trade, total receipts amounted to $292.5 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $284.9 billion in 2019. Gross surplus decreased from $8.9 billion in 2018 to $7.6 billion in 2019, accounting for 2.6% of total receipts in 2019. Industry value added decreased by 7.1% compared with 2018 to $21.9 billion.

     In the retail trade, total receipts amounted to $513.2 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $483.2 billion in 2019. Gross surplus decreased from $41.6 billion in 2018 to $30.1 billion in 2019, accounting for 5.9% of total receipts in 2019. Industry value added decreased by 17.6% compared with 2018 to $74.2 billion.

     In the accommodation services sector which covers hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation, total receipts amounted to $40.5 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $31.1 billion in 2019. Gross surplus decreased from $17.0 billion in 2018 to $9.4 billion in 2019, accounting for 23.3% of total receipts in 2019. Industry value added decreased by 25.6% compared with 2018 to $23.9 billion.

     In the food services sector which mainly covers restaurants, total receipts amounted to $141.8 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $132.4 billion in 2019. Gross surplus decreased from $11.0 billion in 2018 to $9.4 billion in 2019, accounting for 6.6% of total receipts in 2019. Industry value added decreased by 11.3% compared with 2018 to $52.5 billion.

     Selected statistics for the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors in 2018 and 2019 are shown in the attached table.

     More detailed survey results on the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors will be given in the report "Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Import/Export, Wholesale and Retail Trades, and Accommodation and Food Services Sectors in 2019". Users can download this report (in PDF format) free of charge at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=B1080014) in end 2020/early 2021.

     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel: 3903 7399; email: asw@censtatd.gov.hk).

Ends/Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Issued at HKT 16:30

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