Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods Went Up by 8.2 percent in the First Three Quarters of 2019

In the first three quarters of 2019, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 29,667.4 billion yuan, went up by 8.2 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 excluding automobiles reached 26,814.6 billion yuan, increased by 9.1 percent.

In September 2019, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 3,449.5 billion yuan, up by 7.8 percent year-on-year. Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods excluding automobiles was 3,109.7 billion yuan, increased by 9.0 percent.

In terms of different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 25,352.4 billion yuan in the first three quarters of 2019, up by 8.0 percent year-on-year, while that in rural areas was 4,315.0 billion yuan, up by 9.0 percent year-on-year, of which, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 2,911.2 billion yuan in September, up by 7.5 percent year-on-year, while that in rural areas was 538.2 billion yuan, up by 9.0 percent.

In terms of different consumption patterns, the catering services in the first three quarters of 2019 gained 3,256.5 billion yuan, up by 9.4 percent year-on-year. The retail sales of goods gained 26,410.9 billion yuan, up by 8.0 percent. Of which, in September, the catering services gained 377 billion yuan, up by 9.4 percent year-on-year, the retail sales of goods gained 3,072.5 billion yuan, up by 7.6 percent.

In terms of different retail format, of the total retail sale, the supermarket, store, pro shop and exclusive shop above designated size went up by 7.0, 1.5, 3.8 and 1.4 percent year-on-year respectively in the first three quarters of 2019.

In the first three quarters of 2019, the national online retail sales of goods and services was 7,323.7 billion yuan, increased by 16.8 percent year-on-year. Of which, the online retail sales of physical goods were 5,777.7 billion yuan, increased by 20.5 percent, accounting for 19.5 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods. Among the online retail sales of physical goods, food, clothing and other commodities went up by 28.9, 18.6 and 20.3 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 September 2018 was revised. The revised figures and figures in September 2019 are as follows: