China: Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods (YoY) - Total

Macro

2026-05-18

Description

China's Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods is calculated and published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This indicator measures the value of goods sold directly to individuals and social groups for non-production and non-business purposes, as well as revenue from catering services. Typically, a higher Year-on-Year growth rate in retail sales indicates strong consumer demand and active economic activity, while a lower rate suggests weak demand and slower economic activity.

The data covers both urban and rural areas and is broken down into major categories such as food, clothing, daily necessities, home appliances, and electronics.

This data is typically released monthly, providing information on the retail sales of the previous month.

Published by
National Bureau of Statistics of China (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update

AI Data Insight

In the early part of Q2 2026 (April), the year-on-year growth rate of China's total retail sales of consumer goods dropped sharply to 0.2% from the previous 1.7%, falling far below the market expectation of 2.0% and marking the worst performance since late 2022. The heavy slump in large-ticket consumption related to automobiles and real estate was the primary drag, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of the domestic demand recovery momentum.

AI Data Insight

In the early part of Q2 2026 (April), the year-on-year growth rate of China's total retail sales of consumer goods dropped sharply to 0.2% from the previous 1.7%, falling far below the market expectation of 2.0% and marking the worst performance since late 2022. The heavy slump in large-ticket consumption related to automobiles and real estate was the primary drag, highlighting the extreme vulnerability of the domestic demand recovery momentum.

Description

China's Total Retail Sales of Consumer Goods is calculated and published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This indicator measures the value of goods sold directly to individuals and social groups for non-production and non-business purposes, as well as revenue from catering services. Typically, a higher Year-on-Year growth rate in retail sales indicates strong consumer demand and active economic activity, while a lower rate suggests weak demand and slower economic activity.

The data covers both urban and rural areas and is broken down into major categories such as food, clothing, daily necessities, home appliances, and electronics.

This data is typically released monthly, providing information on the retail sales of the previous month.

Published by
National Bureau of Statistics of China (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update