The total retail sales value in June, provisionally estimated at $37.1 billion, fell 6.9% over a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
The revised estimate in May dropped 3.9% year-on-year. For the first half of the year, total retail sales dropped 1.3% over a year earlier.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the total retail sales volume in June fell 7.5% year-on-year. The revised estimate of the total retail sales volume in May dropped 4.5% over a year earlier, while that for the first half of the year dropped 1.1%.
Analysed by broad type of retail outlet, the sales value of commodities in supermarkets rose 5% in June. This was followed by sales of apparel (+6.2%); medicines and cosmetics (+6.9%); food, alcohol and tobacco (+8.6%); motor vehicles and parts (+17.9%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (+10.7%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (+3.3%); Chinese drugs and herbs (+6.1%); and optical shops (+5.5%).
The sales value of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts fell 28.2% in the month. This was followed by sales of commodities in department stores (-3.6%); other consumer goods, not elsewhere classified (-3.2%); electrical goods and photographic equipment (-15.3%); miscellaneous consumer durable goods (-23.9%); fuels (-1.8%); and, furniture and fixtures (-2.2%).
The department said retail sales in June recorded another decline mainly due to the sharp fall in the sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts. However sales of goods closely related to local consumption recorded further year-on-year growth.
Looking ahead, it said the near-term performance of retail sales will remain susceptible to the base effects and the changing visitor spending pattern, although the still favourable labour market conditions should render some support.
