Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on January 18 showed that in December 2017, total retail sales of social consumer goods amounted to 3,473.4 billion yuan, up 9.4% year-on-year in nominal terms (7.8% in real terms after deducting the price factor, and hereinafter in nominal terms except for special explanations). Among them, the retail sales of consumer goods by units above the quota were 174.9 billion yuan, an increase of 6.7%.For the whole year of 2017, the total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to 3,662.2 billion yuan, an increase of 10.2% over the previous year. Among them, retail sales of consumer goods by units above the quota of 16,061.3 billion yuan, an increase of 8.1%.

By location of business units, in December, retail sales of consumer goods in towns and cities amounted to 2975.4 billion yuan, an increase of 9.3% year-on-year, while retail sales of consumer goods in villages amounted to 498.1 billion yuan, an increase of 10.1%.

For the whole of 2017, retail sales of consumer goods in towns and cities amounted to 314,290.0 billion yuan, an increase of 10.0% compared with that of the previous year, while retail sales of consumer goods in villages amounted to 5,197.2 billion yuan, an increase of 11.8%.

By type of consumption, in December, catering revenue was 368.9 billion yuan, up 10.1%; retail sales of goods were 3104.5 billion yuan, up 9.3%. for the whole year of 2017, catering revenue was 3964.4 billion yuan, up 10.7% compared with the previous year; retail sales of goods were 3,266.8 billion yuan, up 10.2%.

In merchandise retailing, in December, merchandise retailing by units above the limit was 164.17 billion yuan, up 6.8 percent. for the whole year of 2017, merchandise retailing by units above the limit was 1508.61 billion yuan, up 8.2 percent from the previous year.

In the whole year of 2017, the national online retail sales amounted to 7,175.1 billion yuan, an increase of 32.2% over the previous year. Among them, online retail sales of physical goods amounted to 5,480.6 billion yuan, an increase of 28.0%, accounting for 15.0% of the total retail sales of consumer goods; among the online retail sales of physical goods, the categories of food, clothing and utilities increased by 28.6%, 20.3% and 30.8% respectively.