The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) announced that the value of total retail sales in May 2025, provisionally estimated at $31.3 billion, increased by 2.4% compared with the same month in 2024, better than the 1.8% year-on-year drop in consensus. The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in April 2025 decreased by 2.3% compared with a year earlier.

Of the total retail sales value in May 2025, online sales accounted for 8.3%. The value of online retail sales in that month, provisionally estimated at $2.6 billion, increased by 0.3% compared with the same month in 2024. The revised estimate of online retail sales in April 2025 decreased by 3.7% compared with a year earlier.

A government spokesman said that retail sales performance saw improvement in May 2025. The value of total retail sales turned to a year-on-year increase of 2.4%. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total retail sales increased by 7.0% over the preceding month.

Looking ahead, the spokesman said that while the retail sector continues to adapt to the changes in consumption patterns, the Government's proactive efforts in promoting tourism and mega events, in tandem with the increase in employment earnings and sustained steady growth of the Mainland economy, will help bolster consumption sentiment and support the consumption market.