Retail sales of consumer goods in China rose 2.7 percent year on year in July, according to data released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
That growth slowed from the 3.1% rise seen in June.
Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the BES, attributed the slowdown to sporadic resurgences of COVID-19 and subdued auto sales.
Retail sales of consumer goods in China totaled about 3.59 trillion yuan ($532.6 billion) in July, according to the NBS.
In the first seven months, retail sales of consumer goods in China reached 24.63 trillion yuan, down 0.2 percent year on year.
“Although retail sales growth slowed in July, the trend of consumption recovery remains unchanged,” Fu said.
Last month, sales of basic necessities maintained stable growth. Sales of beverages jumped 3% year on year in July, while those of cereals, edible oil and other foodstuffs rose 6.2%, according to NBS data.
Online consumption continued to drive retail sales. In the first seven months, online sales of physical goods rose 5.7 percent year on year, up 0.1 percentage point from the January-June period.
Sales at large supermarkets climbed 4.1% year-on-year for the first seven months, while those at grocery stores rose 4.6% year-on-year, the data showed.
As policies to stimulate demand take effect, the decline in restaurant receipts has softened. The sector saw revenue decline 1.5% year-on-year in July, 2.5 percentage points less than the previous month.
With the implementation of consumer-supporting policies, business support measures and an improving consumer environment, China’s consumption will maintain its recovery momentum and become a stronger driver of economic growth despite all challenges, Fu said.