Consumers shop at the food section of a supermarket in Huaian, East China's Jiangsu Province, on December 31, 2025. Photo: VCG

China's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 50.1 trillion yuan ($7.17 trillion) in 2025, up 3.7 percent year on year, underscoring the continued strength of the country's vast domestic market, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) showed on Wednesday.

Retail sales of goods rose 3.8 percent, while catering sector revenues increased 3.2 percent. Final consumption expenditure contributed 52 percent to economic growth, remaining the primary engine of economic expansion, according to MOFCOM.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, total retail sales of consumer goods climbed to a new level of over 50 trillion yuan, providing solid support for a sustained economic recovery and better meeting people's growing aspirations for a higher quality of life.

Consumption of big-ticket durable goods gained momentum over the past year. Passenger vehicle sales reached 23.744 million units, up 3.8 percent, with new-energy passenger vehicles accounting for 53.9 percent of the market. Retail sales of home appliances by enterprises above a designated size totaled 1.17 trillion yuan, rising 11 percent and exceeding the one-trillion-yuan mark for a second consecutive year.

In 2025, trade-in programs for consumer goods generated 2.61 trillion yuan in related sales, benefiting 366 million transactions. A wide range of green and smart products entered households, lifting overall living standards.

Notably, consumers' demand for upgraded products remained robust. Retail sales of sports and recreational goods by enterprises above a designated size grew 15.7 percent, driven by strong demand for ice-and-snow, hiking and cycling equipment. 

MOFCOM showed sales of smart eye-glasses, smart watches and smart bands on major platforms each surged by more than 40 percent. Cosmetics sales rose 5.1 percent, with "Oriental aesthetics" shaping beauty consumption trends, while gold and jewelry sales climbed by 12.8 percent as products blending traditional cultural elements with modern design gained popularity among consumers.

Global Times