Holiday boosts retail sales

Retail sales rose 13 percent year on year in the three-day New Year holiday, China's Ministry of Commerce reported yesterday.

The 1,000 retail enterprises involved in the calculation reported total revenue of 12.5 billion yuan (US$1.83 billion) from New Year's Day to Saturday.

An unidentified official from the ministry's market operation division said sales promotions and exhibitions boosted consumption nationwide.

With the approach of Spring Festival, the major holiday of the year for Chinese, food, discounted clothes, shoes and home appliances sold well, although luxury goods sales declined, he said.

On New Year's Day, restaurants in the survey saw an 18-percent rise in revenue from the previous day. Also on that day, 11 Quanjude roast duck restaurants saw combined sales rise 15 percent.