Retail sales dropped 5.8 percent sequentially to NT$309.6 billion (US$11.06 billion) last month as shopping malls were hit hard by measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, Ministry of Economic Affairs data showed on Wednesday.
On an annual basis, retail sales gained 2.8 percent, the data showed.
Sales at department stores plunged 44 percent to NT$19.6 billion last month from April after a level 3 COVID-19 alert was implemented in the middle of last month, while clothing sales plummeted 35.6 percent month-on-month to NT$16.5 billion, it showed.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Supermarkets benefited from the restriction as people stocked up on foodstuffs, with sales surging 45.4 percent month-on-month to NT$25.1 billion, the data showed.
As people were advised not to go out, e-commerce sales expanded 21.6 percent to NT$24.9 billion, it showed.
Sales at restaurants contracted 23.7 percent to NT$50.2 billion as businesses were only allowed to offer takeouts.
The downward trend in retail sales is expected to carry into this month, the ministry said, citing a survey it conducted.
“Some business owners are doing their best to promote delivery and pick-up service to buffer the worst of the damage,” Department of Statistics Deputy Director-General Huang Wei-jie (黃偉傑) said. “However, the serious COVID-19 conditions have caused a massive revenue slide in the food and beverage sector.”
During the first five months of this year, retail sales increased 9.6 percent annually to NT$1.64 trillion, the data showed.
Meanwhile, wholesalers posted revenue of NT$988.1 billion last month, up 23.9 percent year-on-year, making it the best May on record for the sector, it showed.
The ministry attributed the figure to a global economic recovery and strong demand for computers, tablets and servers, in addition to a lower comparison base from May last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic affected economies worldwide.
On a month-on-month basis, wholesale revenue declined 1.8 percent, the ministry said, adding that the downward trend would likely persist this month.
In the first five months of this year, wholesalers posted revenues of NT$4.82 trillion, up 18 percent year-on-year, also a record, the data showed.
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