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Consumer goods

China's Retail Sales Experience Strong Growth in First Three Quarters of 2025

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

China's retail sales of consumer goods saw a robust 4.5 percent year-on-year increase in the first three quarters of 2025, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The total retail sales for this period reached 36.5877 trillion yuan (approximately 5.16 trillion U.S. dollars), with a growth rate 1.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year. The service sector remained a significant contributor to this growth, with retail sales rising 5.2 percent year-on-year, outpacing the growth rate of goods retail sales by 0.6 percentage points. Online retail sales also showed strong momentum, increasing 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first nine months.

Key Takeaways:

  • China's retail sales of consumer goods experienced a 4.5 percent year-on-year increase in the first three quarters of 2025.
  • The total retail sales for the period reached 36.5877 trillion yuan, or approximately 5.16 trillion U.S. dollars.
  • The growth rate for retail sales was 1.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year.
  • Retail sales in the service sector rose 5.2 percent year-on-year, outpacing the growth rate of goods retail sales by 0.6 percentage points.
  • Online retail sales climbed 9.8 percent year-on-year in the first nine months.
  • Urban retail sales rose 4.4 percent year-on-year, while rural retail sales expanded 4.6 percent year-on-year.
  • Consumption-boosting policies have led to improved supply and demand in the consumer market.
  • Efforts to foster high-quality development of the consumer market focus on implementing consumption-boosting measures, stabilizing employment and incomes, creating diverse consumption scenarios, and expanding service consumption.

Statistics:

  • 4.5 percent: increase in retail sales of consumer goods year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025
  • 36.5877 trillion yuan: total retail sales for the first three quarters of 2025
  • 5.16 trillion U.S. dollars: approximate value of total retail sales in the first three quarters of 2025 (in U.S. dollars)
  • 1.2 percentage points: difference in growth rate compared to the same period last year
  • 5.2 percent: increase in retail sales of the service sector year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025
  • 9.8 percent: increase in online retail sales year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025
  • 4.4 percent: increase in urban retail sales year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025
  • 4.6 percent: increase in rural retail sales year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025

Sources:

  • Xinhua News Agency (October 20, 2025)
  • National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)

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