Consumer goods sales in the domestic market increased steadily. The total retail sales of consumer goods reached 4,584.2 billion yuan (US$552.31 billion) in 2003, up by 9.1 percent over the previous year, or a real growth of 9.2 percent if price factors were deducted. Of this total, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas reached 2,977.7 billion yuan (US$358.76 billion), up by 10.3 percent, and the retail sales of consumer goods at and below county level was 1,606.5 billion yuan (US$193.56 billion), up by 6.8 percent. In terms of different sectors, the sales of the wholesale and retail industry reached 3,769.3 billion yuan (US$454.13 billion), up 9.2 percent, catering industry sales were 606.6 billion yuan (US$73.08 billion), up 11.6 percent, and the sales of other industries were 208.3 billion yuan (US$25.10 billion), up 0.2 percent.

Of the total wholesale and retail sales above designated size, the retail sales of motor vehicles increased by 68.5 percent over the previous year; telecommunication equipment was up by 70.9 percent; household electrical and electronic appliances and audio-video equipment was up by 18.3 percent, and furniture was up 28.2 percent.

(China.org.cn March 1, 2004)