Provisional statistics of retail sales for March 2025
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The value of total retail sales in March 2025, provisionally estimated at $30.1 billion, decreased by 3.5% compared with the same month in 2024. The revised estimate of the combined value of total retail sales in January and February 2025 decreased by 7.8% compared with the same period a year earlier. For the first quarter of 2025, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total retail sales decreased by 6.5% compared with the same period in 2024.
Of the total retail sales value in March 2025, online sales accounted for 8.1%. The value of online retail sales in that month, provisionally estimated at $2.4 billion, decreased by 0.5% compared with the same month in 2024. The revised estimate of the combined value of online retail sales in January and February 2025 decreased by 2.4% compared with the same period a year earlier. For the first quarter of 2025, it was provisionally estimated that the value of online retail sales decreased by 1.7% compared with the same period in 2024.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in March 2025 decreased by 4.8% compared with a year earlier. The revised estimate of the combined volume of total retail sales in January and February 2025 decreased by 9.9% compared with the same period a year earlier. For the first quarter of 2025, the provisional estimate of the total retail sales decreased by 8.3% in volume compared with the same period in 2024.
Analysed by broad type of retail outlet in descending order of the provisional estimate of the value of sales and comparing March 2025 with March 2024, the value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts decreased by 3.9%. This was followed by sales of wearing apparel (-10.8% in value); commodities in department stores (-5.0%); motor vehicles and parts (-46.4%); fuels (-3.9%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-7.7%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-1.0%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (-0.9%); furniture and fixtures (-17.3%); and optical shops (-2.7%).
On the other hand, the value of sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified increased by 0.6% in March 2025 over a year earlier. This was followed by sales of commodities in supermarkets (+5.2% in value); medicines and cosmetics (+1.2%); food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (+7.8%); and electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (+6.7%).
Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales increased by 3.8% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the preceding quarter, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales increased by 2.2%.
Commentary
A government spokesman said that the value of total retail sales increased further in March 2025 over the preceding month on a seasonally adjusted comparison, and its year-on-year decline continued to narrow. For the first quarter as a whole, the value of total retail sales resumed an increase over the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted comparison.
Looking ahead, the spokesman said the sustained steady growth of the Mainland economy, the Government's proactive efforts to boost the consumption market through promotion of tourism and mega events, as well as the increase in employment earnings will continue to support the retail sector. However, the increased level of uncertainty in the global economic outlook and the ongoing impact of the change in consumption patterns will pose challenges to the sector.
Further information
Table 1 presents the revised figures on value index and value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for February 2025 as well as the provisional figures for March 2025. The provisional figures on the value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet as well as the corresponding year-on-year changes for the first quarter of 2025 are also shown.
Table 2 presents the revised figures on value of online retail sales for February 2025 as well as the provisional figures for March 2025. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first quarter of 2025 are also shown.
Table 3 presents the revised figures on volume index of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for February 2025 as well as the provisional figures for March 2025. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first quarter of 2025 are also shown.
Table 4 shows the movements of the value and volume of total retail sales in terms of the year-on-year rate of change for a month compared with the same month in the preceding year based on the original series, and in terms of the rate of change for a three-month period compared with the preceding three-month period based on the seasonally adjusted series.
The classification of retail establishments follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
These retail sales statistics measure the sales receipts in respect of goods sold by local retail establishments and are primarily intended for gauging the short-term business performance of the local retail sector. Data on retail sales are collected from local retail establishments through the Monthly Survey of Retail Sales (MRS). Local retail establishments with and without physical shops are covered in MRS and their sales, both through conventional shops and online channels, are included in the retail sales statistics.
The retail sales statistics cover consumer spending on goods but not on services (such as those on housing, catering, medical care and health services, transport and communication, financial services, education and entertainment) which account for over 50% of the overall consumer spending. Moreover, they include spending on goods in Hong Kong by visitors but exclude spending outside Hong Kong by Hong Kong residents. Hence they should not be regarded as indicators for measuring overall consumer spending.
Users interested in the trend of overall consumer spending should refer to the data series of private consumption expenditure (PCE), which is a major component of the Gross Domestic Product published at quarterly intervals. Compiled from a wide range of data sources, PCE covers consumer spending on both goods (including goods purchased from all channels) and services by Hong Kong residents whether locally or abroad. Please refer to the C&SD publication "Gross Domestic Product by Expenditure Component" for more details.
More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Monthly Survey of Retail Sales". Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080003&scode=530).
Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel: 3903 7400; E-mail: mrs@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, May 2, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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