The total retail sales value in April, provisionally estimated at $38 billion, fell 2.2% over a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
The revised estimate of the total retail sales value in March dropped 2.9% year-on-year, while that of the first four months decreased 2.3%.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the total retail sales volume in April increased 2.4% year-on-year. The revised estimate of the total retail sales volume in March went up 0.8% year-on-year and that for the first four months increased 0.5%.
Analysed by broad type of retail outlet, the sales of food, alcohol and tobacco increased 4.2% year-on-year. This was followed by sales of electrical goods and photographic equipment (+8.6%), miscellaneous consumer durable goods (+97.9%), and motor vehicles and parts (+1.8%).
The sales value of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts decreased 19.5%. This was followed by apparel (-5.9%), commodities in supermarkets (-0.9%), medicines and cosmetics (-3%), and commodities in department stores (-3.6%).
The department said the performance of retail sales remained subdued in April, largely reflecting weaker visitor spending on big-ticket items. Certain consumer durable goods saw some notable growth in sales, mainly helped by the launch of certain smartphone models.
Retail sales performance in the near-term is likely to hinge on inbound tourism growth, although stable labour market conditions should still render support to local consumer sentiment, it added.
