WATCHING · 2026-10-20
China retail sales grew 1.1% year over year in September
IN SHORT
Overall retail growth remained modest, while sales excluding automobiles grew +3.9% in September; online retail sales of goods grew +4.4% over January – September 2026. The divergence across categories is more useful for assessing consumer conditions than the aggregate rate alone.
WHY IT MATTERS IN CANADA
Canadian exporters and consumer-facing businesses should watch which Chinese retail categories are expanding or contracting rather than treating the aggregate figure as a uniform demand signal. The release does not identify demand specifically for Canadian goods.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Total retail sales increased 1.1% year over year in September.
- Total retail sales increased 1.1% year over year over January – September.
- Retail sales excluding automobiles increased 3.9% year over year in September.
- Online retail sales of goods increased 4.4% year over year over January – September 2026.
KEY NUMBERS
- +1.1%Total retail sales — year-over-year growthSeptember
- +1.1%Total retail sales — year-over-year growthJanuary – September
- +3.9%Retail sales excluding automobiles — year-over-year growthSeptember
- +4.4%Online retail sales of goods — year-over-year growthJanuary – September 2026
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS
Growth excluding automobiles was stronger than the overall retail rate; online goods sales outpaced aggregate retail growth over January – September. This suggests uneven consumer momentum across categories rather than a uniform retail trend.
OBOR analysis based on the cited source. Relevance and classification are analytical assessments, not objective measures. How OBOR separates evidence, relevance and confidence →
INDUSTRIES
SOURCE
National Bureau of Statistics of China — Latest Releases · View source →