HK retail sales rise 6.6% YOY in December 2025

Hong Kong's retail sales grew 6.6% to HK$35 million in December 2025, with officials believing that improving local consumption, strong economic growth, and rising inbound visitors will benefit retail businesses.

According to the latest figures released by the Census and Statistics Department, the revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in November 2025 increased by 6.5% compared with a year earlier.

For 2025 as a whole, retail sales in Hong Kong reached HK$380.5 billion, with other consumer goods not elsewhere classified rising by 6.2%, followed by jewellery and watches (+1.9%), electrical goods (+14.3%), food and drinks (+1.6%), medicines and cosmetics (+4.2%), and optical shops (+0.2%).

In 2025, sales of other consumer goods not classified rose by 6.2% compared to the previous year, followed by jewellery and watches (+1.9%), electrical goods (+14.3%), food and drinks (+1.6%), medicines and cosmetics (+4.2%), and optical shops (+0.2%). On the other hand, the value of sales of commodities in supermarkets decreased by 0.6% in 2025 compared with 2024. This was followed by sales of wearing apparel (-3.4% in value); commodities in department stores (-0.1%); motor vehicles and parts (-24.9%); fuels (-9.7%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (decrease of less than 0.05%).

Of the total retail sales value in December 2025, online sales accounted for 8.8%. The value of online retail sales in that month, provisionally estimated at HK$3.1 billion, increased by 30.9% compared with a year earlier. 

After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in December 2025 increased by 5.1% compared with a year earlier. The revised estimate of the volume of total retail sales in November 2025 increased by 4.4% compared with a year earlier.

Analysed by broad type of retail outlet in descending order of the provisional estimate of the value of sales and comparing December 2025 with a year earlier, the value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased by 14.3%. 

This was followed by sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified (+7.5% in value); electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (+58.9%); commodities in supermarkets (+0.3%); food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (+0.5%); medicines and cosmetics (+0.6%); motor vehicles and parts (+8.9%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (+6.7%); and optical shops (+5.2%).

On the other hand, the value of sales of wearing apparel decreased by 10.3% in December 2025 over the year earlier. This was followed by sales of commodities in department stores (-4.6% in value); fuels (-12.8%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-10%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-2.1%); and furniture and fixtures (-7.9%).

Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales increased by 1.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the preceding quarter, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales decreased by 0.4%.

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A government spokesman said that the value of retail sales continued to recover solidly in December, rising further by 6.6% over a year earlier. For 2025 as a whole, total retail sales value resumed modest growth.

Looking ahead, the spokesperson said improving local consumption sentiment underpinned by robust economic growth momentum, together with continued vibrant growth in inbound visitors, will continue to be favourable to retail businesses.

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