In March, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 1,565.0 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent year-on-year (Nominal growth rate. The real growth rate was 11.3 percent. The follows are nominal growth rates if there’s no additional explanation). Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of industrial enterprises (units) above designated size was 768.6 billion yuan, increased 16.9 percent. From January to March, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 4,931.9 billion yuan, up 14.8 percent year-on-year (actual increase was 18.2 percent after deducting price factors). The total retail sales of consumer goods increased 1.18 percent in March, month-on-month.

In terms of different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 1,356.3 billion yuan in March, up 15.2 percent, year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 208.7 billion yuan, up 14.6 percent, year-on-year.

In terms of different consumption patterns, the catering services in March gained 171.0 billion yuan, up 13.4 percent, year-on-year; the retail sales of goods gained 1,394.1 billion yuan, up 15.4 percent, year-on-year, of which, the amount of enterprises (units) above designated size was 712.2 billion yuan, up 17.1 percent, year-on-year.

Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods in March
Item	March		Jan-Mar
	Absolute Value (100 million yuan)	Y/Y (%)	Absolute Value (100 million yuan)	Y/Y (%)
Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods	15650	15.2	49319	14.8
Of Which: Retail Sales of the Enterprises (units) above Designated Size	7686	16.9	22921	15.6
Grouped by Different Areas
City	13563	15.2	42688	14.9
At and Below County Level	2087	14.6	6631	14.6
Grouped by Consumption Patterns
Catering Services	1710	13.4	5427	13.3
Of which: Income of Catering Services of the Enterprises (units) above Designated Size	564	14.7	1743	14.2
Retail Sales of Goods	13941	15.4	43892	15.0
Of which: Income of Retail Sales of Goods of the Enterprises (units) above Designated Size	7122	17.1	21177	15.7
Of which: Grain, Oil, Foodstuff, Beverages, Tobacco and Liquor	875	17.9	3046	16.6
Garments, Footwear, Hats, Knitwear	679	19.4	2409	14.6
Cosmetics	115	16.9	330	18.0
Gold, Silver and Jewelry	165	10.4	592	16.5
Commodities	249	15.7	792	16.3
Sports and Recreation Articles	29	7.9	93	5.0
Household Appliances and AV Equipment	413	8.4	1242	0.6
Traditional Chinese and Western Medicines	386	29.5	1065	24.2
Cultural and Office Appliances	156	21.9	422	15.1
Furniture	111	26.1	297	25.4
Communication Appliances	115	44.1	357	43.4
Petroleum and Related Products	1406	23.7	3782	21.6
Automobile	1888	8.1	5313	11.0
Building and Decoration Materials	137	26.3	352	25.7
Notes: 1.The growth rate in this table are all nominal growth rate. 2.For parts of data, the total is not equal to the total of sub-items due to round-off.

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.

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 from February 2011 was revised. The revised figures and figures for January and March are as follows: