On July 2, the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region released preliminary statistics on the retail sector for May: the provisional estimate of total retail sales value was HKD 33.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.9%. The revised estimate of total retail sales value for April 2026 increased by 8.7% compared to the same month in 2025.
Compared with the same period in 2025, the provisional estimate of total retail sales value for the first five months of this year increased by 10.6%.
Compared with the same period last year, the categories that recorded growth in May and their respective increases were:
- The value of sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified increased by 14.8%
- The value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased by 25.8%
- The value of sales of department store goods increased by 9.2%
- The value of sales of medicines and cosmetics increased by 3.5%
- The value of sales of wearing apparel increased by 3.0%
- The value of sales of electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified increased by 13.0%
- The value of sales of motor vehicles and parts increased by 1.7%
- The value of sales of footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories increased by 4.7%
- The value of sales of books, newspapers, stationery and gifts increased by 4.5%
- The value of sales of furniture and fixtures increased by 4.6%
- The value of sales of optical shops increased by 10.3%
Other major categories recorded declines:
- The value of sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco decreased by 0.3%
- The value of sales of fuels decreased by 12.2%
- The value of sales of Chinese medicines decreased by 9.5%
Online sales accounted for 10.1% of the total retail sales value in May. The provisional estimate of the value of online retail sales for the month was HKD 3.4 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 32.3%. The revised estimate of online retail sales value for April increased by 33.1% compared with the same period in 2025. Compared with the same period in 2025, the provisional estimate of online retail sales value for the first five months of 2026 increased by 31.2%.
After adjusting for price changes over the period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in May increased by 4.8% compared with the same month last year. The revised estimate of the volume of total retail sales for April increased by 6.5% compared with the same period in 2025. Compared with the same period in 2025, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales for the first five months of 2026 increased by 8.2%.
For the three months ending May, compared with the preceding three-month period, the seasonally adjusted provisional estimate of total retail sales value increased by 4.6%, while the seasonally adjusted provisional estimate of total retail sales volume increased by 2.2%.
A government spokesperson stated that the total retail sales value in May continued to show solid year-on-year growth of 7.9%, with most major retail categories recording increases.
Looking ahead, the continued expansion of the economy, sustained growth in local employment income, and a further increase in inbound tourism are expected to benefit the retail sector. The government will closely monitor the evolution of external uncertainties and their potential impact on the local consumption market.
According to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the number of inbound visitors in May reached 4.465 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.5%. Among them, visitors from the Chinese Mainland totaled 3.486 million, up 11.6% year-on-year. For the first five months, inbound visitors reached 22.99 million, up 14.1% year-on-year, of which visitors from the Chinese Mainland totaled 17.67 million, representing an increase of 16.4%.
| Source: Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, official press release
| Image Credit: free image website Pexels
| Editor: Luxeplace
