Retail sales in Hong Kong increased by 4.8% year-on-year in May 2026, easing from a revised 6.5% rise in April and marking the weakest growth since January. Sales fell further in food, beverages, and tobacco (-1.6% vs. +1% in April) and in fuels (-28.8% vs. -27.9%), while supermarket sales swung back into contraction (-1.1% vs. +2.3%). Growth also slowed in clothing, footwear, and allied products (3% vs. 5.5%), as well as in consumer durable goods (9.5% vs. 28.2%).
By contrast, department store sales returned to growth (8.7% vs. -6.6%), and momentum strengthened in jewellery, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts (10.5% vs. 7.1%) and in other consumer goods (7.9% vs. 7.4%). On a month-on-month basis, retail sales rose 7.3% in May, rebounding from a revised 7.4% decline in April.
