Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods up by 9.0 percent in the first twelve month 2018

In the first twelve month in 2018, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 38,098.7 billion yuan, up by 9.0 percent year-on-year nominal growth rate (the real growth rate was up by 6.9 percent after adjusting for inflation). The follows are nominal growth rates if there’s no additional explanation), and the growth pace decreased 0.1 percentage point than the first eleven month. Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was 14,531.1 billion yuan, increased 5.7 percent.

In December 2018, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 3,589.3 billion yuan, up by 8.2 percent year-on-year, the growth pace increased 0.1 percentage point than November. Of the total, the retail sales of consumer goods of units above designated size was 1,508.4 billion yuan, increased 2.4 percent.

In terms of different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 32,563.7  billion yuan in 2018, up by 8.8 percent year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 5,535 billion yuan, up by 10.1 percent year-on-year. From January to November, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas was 3,032.9 billion yuan, up by 8.0 percent year-on-year; while that in rural areas was 556.5 billion yuan, up by 9.3 percent.

In terms of different consumption patterns, the catering services in 2018 gained 4,271.6 billion yuan, up by 9.5 percent, year-on-year. The retail sales of goods gained 33,827.1 billion yuan, up by 8.9 percent. Of which, the catering services gained 442.2 billion yuan in December, up by 9.0 percent, year-on-year; the retail sales of goods gained 3,147.2 billion yuan, up by 8.0 percent.

The retail sales amount of goods of units above designated size in 2018 was 13,607.5 billion yuan, up by 5.7 percent year-on-year. In December, the retail sales amount of goods of units above designated size was 1,417.5 billion yuan, up by 2.2 percent year-on-year.

In 2018, the national online retail sales of goods and services was 9,006.5 billion yuan, increased 23.9 percent year-on-year. Of which, the online retail sales of physical goods was 7,019.8 billion yuan, increased 25.4 percent, accounting for 18.4 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 33.8, 22.0 and 25.9 percent respectively.

In 2018, among the retail sales amount of goods of units above designated size, Supermarket retail, General merchandise retail, Professional retail, and special retail went up by 6.8, 3.2, 6.2 and 1.8 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 December 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.