Recently, data released by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Census and Statistics Department showed that in January 2026, the provisional estimate of the total value of retail sales in Hong Kong reached HKD 37.308 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.5%. In terms of sales volume, retail sales in January rose 3.4% year-on-year compared with the provisional estimate for the same period in 2025.
Among the categories, the retail sales value of medicines and cosmetics in January totaled HKD 3.52 billion, marking a 1.3% year-on-year increase. In terms of sales volume, medicines and cosmetics recorded a 1.2% year-on-year increase.
Within the overall retail sales, the provisional estimate of online retail sales value in January amounted to HKD 3.022 billion, up 25.1% compared with the same month in 2025, accounting for 8.1% of the total retail sales value.
In addition, for the three months ending January 2026, compared with the preceding three-month period, the seasonally adjusted provisional estimate of the total retail sales value increased by 2.4%, while the seasonally adjusted provisional estimate of total retail sales volume rose by 3.1%.
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong SAR Government stated that since the beginning of the year, the recovery momentum of the retail sector has continued, with the total value of retail sales steadily increasing. Looking ahead, as consumer sentiment continues to improve and the number of inbound visitors to Hong Kong grows strongly, these factors are expected to provide continued support for the development of the retail sector.
