Tag: Retail

Posted on

China’s retail and industrial growth slows amid ongoing tariff driven economic uncertainty

China retail data

China’s economy showed signs of slowing in April 2025, with both retail sales and industrial output missing expectations.

Retail sales grew 5.1% year-on-year, falling short of analysts’ forecasts of 5.5% growth. The slowdown reflects weak consumer sentiment, driven by deflationary pressures and uncertainty in the housing market.

While categories like gold and jewellery (+25.3%) and furniture (+26.9%) saw strong growth, car sales stagnated at just 0.7%.

Industrial production expanded 6.1% year-on-year, down from 7.7% in March 2025. The decline was largely attributed to tariff trade war tensions, which have disrupted exports.

However, fixed-asset investment rose 4% in the first four months of 2025, signalling continued infrastructure spending.

Despite the slowdown, China remains confident in achieving its 5% GDP growth target for the year. The government has introduced stimulus measures, including interest rate cuts and liquidity injections, to stabilise the economy.

With global trade uncertainties and domestic economic challenges, China’s policymakers face a delicate balancing act to sustain growth while addressing structural weaknesses.

Posted on

UK retailers reported a 0.5% rebound in July 2024

Retail UK

UK retail sales up

The rise came after a significant drop in sales volumes, which track the amount purchased, in June due to unfavorable weather affecting demand.

Last month, department stores and retailers of sports equipment saw an uptick in the volume of goods sold thanks to the Euro football tournament.

However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which provided the data, noted that it was a challenging month for clothing and furniture retailers, with fuel sales declining even as prices at the pump decreased.

Posted on

Amazon plans discount store to fend off the rise of Temu and Shein

Online shopper

Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch a new store section on its site dedicated to low-priced fashion and lifestyle items.

The move is aimed at competing with e-commerce upstarts Temu and Shein, both of which have ties to China.

The new storefront will offer unbranded products, with numerous items priced below $20. Amazon plans to ship these goods directly from China, targeting a delivery window of round 10 days. This initiative is a strategic move by Amazon to counter increasing competition and broaden its assortment while preserving competitive pricing.

While the precise launch date has not been announced, the storefront is anticipated to begin accepting products in the autumn of 2024.

Posted on

China’s latest May 2024 retail sales data came in above expectations

China retail data

In May 2024, China’s retail sales exceeded forecasts, increasing by 3.7% from the previous year and surpassing the anticipated 3% rise.

Conversely, industrial output experienced a 5.6% growth on an annual basis, falling short of the projected 6% increment. Meanwhile, fixed asset investment saw a 4% increase from the previous May, narrowly missing the predicted 4.2% growth.

Posted on

Retail trouble – UK sales hit lowest level since 2021 lockdowns

UK retail spending slows in October 2023

Shoppers bought less food and fuel in October 2023 as they were hit by rising living costs and poor weather, according to ONS data.

The volume of products sold last month fell by 0.3% to the lowest level since February 2021 when large parts of the UK were in Covid lockdowns. Retail sales had been expected to grow in October 2023.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said fuel purchases may have been ‘affected by increasing prices’.

Demand for other goods was also lower, the ONS reported.

The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, which tracks card transactions, also reported a drop in consumer spending in October 2023, with retail sales, excluding autos and petrol/diesel, falling by 0.08%, and core retail, which also removes restaurants, declining by 0.03%. 

The report suggested that the consumer took a spending break ahead of the holiday season, amid rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labour shortages.

UK inflation presented a bigger drop in October 2023 than expected – this will likely drive higher retail spending through the holiday period.

Higher pay and lower inflation will provide a lift through the Christmas 2023 holidays.