Retail trade survey for the first quarter of 2026

MACAU, May 22 - Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the value of retail sales totalled MOP21.64 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up by 23.0% year-on-year and 11.9% quarter-on-quarter.

In the first quarter of 2026, value of retail sales rose by 23.0% year-on-year, with significant growth in the sales values of Communication Equipment (+91.5%) and Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+52.1%); sales values of Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles, Adults’ Clothing and Leather Goods increased by 27.9%, 25.7% and 20.1% respectively, whereas the sales value of Supermarkets decreased by 5.2%. After removing the effect of price changes, the sales volume index grew by 16.5% year-on-year; the sales volume indices of Communication Equipment (+88.6%), Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles (+29.1%), Leather Goods (+23.8%) and Adults’ Clothing (+22.0%) showed notable rise, while the index of Supermarkets (-5.4%) registered a drop.

In comparison with the fourth quarter of 2025, value of retail sales went up by 11.9% in the first quarter this year, with relatively large increases in the sales values of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (+24.2%), Leather Goods (+20.6%) and Adults’ Clothing (+16.2%); by contrast, the sales value of Communication Equipment (-19.7%) declined. Meanwhile, the sales volume index grew by 9.0% quarter-on-quarter; the indices of Leather Goods, Adults’ Clothing and Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles climbed by 23.4%, 15.7% and 13.6% respectively, whereas the index of Communication Equipment dipped by 20.0%.

In respect of retailers’ comments, 47.2% of the retailers expected the sales volume to stay stable year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, 40.3% anticipated a decrease in sales volume and 12.5% forecasted an increase. As compared with the first quarter of 2026, about 37.1% of the retailers envisaged stable performance in the second quarter, 45.2% expected a slowdown in business and 17.7% anticipated a favourable outlook.