Provisional statistics of retail sales for August released
The value of total retail sales in August 1996, estimated at $19.1 billion, increased by 5% when compared with August 1995, according to Provisional figures on retail sales released today (Friday) by the Census and Statistics Department also show that.
After discounting the effect of price changes over the period, total retail sales increased by 1.5% in volume.
Compared with a year ago, sales of consumer durable goods other than motor vehicles went up by 9% in value and 8% in volume. Sales of motor vehicles also increased by 8% in value and 7% in volume, albeit at decelerated rates compared with those recorded in July 1996.
Concurrently, sales of most other commodities also recorded increases of various magnitudes in both value and volume terms.
These included miscellaneous consumer goods (12% in value and 6% in volume); jewellery, watches and clocks and valuable gifts (4% in value and 2% in volume); and clothing and footwear (9% in value and 1% in volume). Sales in department stores also rose by 5% in value and 1% in volume.
On the other hand, sales in supermarkets went up by 5% in value, but decreased by 1% in volume.
Besides, sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco decreased by 8% in value and 6% in volume. These were partly attributable to less sales of mooncakes in August 1996, as the Mid-Autumn Festival took place in late September this year but early September last year.
Sales of fuels continued to show a decline, by 13% in value and 18% in volume, as a result of shift towards direct purchase from major fuels suppliers.
Compared with July 1996 (but bearing in mind that this comparison is affected by seasonal factors), total retail sales in August 1996 increased by 1% in both value and volume.
Comparing the period from January to August 1996 with the same period in 1995, total retail sales rose by 6% in value and 1% in volume.