Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods up by 8.6 percent in May 2019

In May 2019, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 3,295.6 billion yuan, up by 8.6 percent year-on-year (nominal growth rate. The real growth rate was 6.4 percent. The follows are nominal growth rates if there’s no additional explanation). Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was 1,169.4 billion yuan, increased 5.1 percent.

From January to May 2019, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 16,133.2 billion yuan, up by 8.1 percent year-on-year. Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was 5,792.4 billion yuan, increased 3.9 percent.

In terms of different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 2,830.4 billion yuan in May, up by 8.5 percent year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 465.2 billion yuan, up by 9.0 percent year-on-year. From January to May, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 13,796.5 billion yuan, up by 8.0 percent year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 2,336.7 billion yuan, up by 8.9 percent.

In terms of different consumption patterns, the catering services in May gained 363.1 billion yuan, up by 9.4 percent, year-on-year. The retail sales of goods gained 2,932.4 billion yuan, up by 8.5 percent. From January to May, the catering services gained 1,755.6 billion yuan, up by 9.3 percent year-on-year; the retail sales of goods gained 14,377.5 billion yuan, up by 8.0 percent.

From January to May 2019, the national online retail sales of goods and services was 3,864.1 billion yuan, increased 17.8 percent year-on-year. Of which, the online retail sales of physical goods was 3,041.5 billion yuan, increased 21.7 percent, accounting for 18.9 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods; of the online retail sales of physical goods, food, clothing and other commodities went up by 28.5, 21.2 and 21.2 percent respectively.

Annotations:

1. Explanatory Notes

Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods: refers to the sales of physical commodity or the income of catering services sold or provided by enterprises (units) to individuals, social organizations for non-production and non-operation purposes.

Online Retail Sales: refers to the sales of goods and services got through public online trading platform (including self-built websites and third-party platform). Goods and services include physical goods and non-physical goods (such as virtual product, services). 

The total retail sales of consumer goods includes online retail sales of physical goods, excludes online retail sales of non-physical goods.

2.Statistical Coverage

The corporate enterprises, industrial activity units or self-employed individuals which retail goods or provide catering services. Enterprises (units) above designated size refer to those wholesale enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 20 million yuan and above, those retail enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 5 million yuan and above, and those hotel and catering enterprises (units) with an annual revenue from primary business of 2 million yuan and above.

3. Survey Methods

All enterprises (units) above designated size are surveyed, while the data of enterprises (units) below designated size are collected by sampling survey.

4. Month-on-Month Figure Revision

According to the auto-revision function of the seasonal adjustment model, the growth rate of the total retail sales of consumer goods since May 2017 was revised. The revised figures and figures in 2018 are as follows:

 5. The data for the total retail sales of consumer goods of the same period last year have been revised according to the results of the third national agricultural census and related regulations and the growth rates are calculated on a comparable base.