TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced Wednesday that Taiwan’s retail sales reached NT$393 billion (US$11.9 billion) in March.
The figure rose by 0.4% compared to last year's period, setting a record high for the month. The ministry attributed the growth to increased consumer spending surrounding International Women's Day and White Day, per CNA.
Breaking down the March figures, hypermarket sales rose by 11% year-on-year, supermarkets increased by 8.9%, convenience stores by 4%, and online stores by 1.3%. However, retail sales of motor vehicles and motorcycles declined by 4.6% year-on-year, due to decreased car imports and fewer new domestic model launches. The apparel retail sector also saw a 4.3% year-on-year decline, while department store sales decreased by 1%.
Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑), an official at the ministry’s statistics department, attributed the department store sale decline partly to a gas explosion incident at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taichung store in February. He estimated that its retail sales in April would grow, boosted by Tomb Sweeping weekend and anticipation for Mother’s Day spending.
In the first quarter, online retail sales reached NT$156.9 billion, a 1.2% increase compared to the same period last year. The ministry said this growth was mainly driven by retailers optimizing e-commerce platforms, expanding product offerings, and enhancing customer loyalty. Online apparel retail saw the most significant growth at 13.5%, followed by pharmaceuticals and cosmetics at 9.9%.
Total retail sales for this year's first quarter reached nearly NT$1.2 trillion, marking a 0.9% year-on-year increase, Huang said.
The ministry also reported that March foodservice revenue reached NT$85.5 billion, reflecting a 2.8% year-on-year increase. Within the sector, restaurant sales grew by 2.3%, while beverage shop sales rose by 1.2%. In the first quarter, total foodservice revenue amounted to NT$274 billion, a 3.7% increase from last year.
In March, vegetable prices increased by 5.12% and dining-out costs rose by 3.26%. Huang noted that this price increase would affect the performance of the foodservice sector.
Lastly, the ministry added that wholesale sales in March totaled approximately NT$1.18 trillion, reflecting a 9.9% year-on-year increase. The sector’s revenue reached NT$3.3 trillion in the first quarter, up 9.2% from the same period last year.
