26.08.202508:11:40UTC+00Taiwan Retail Sales Fall at Faster Pace

In July 2025, Taiwan's retail sales experienced a year-on-year decrease of 3.6%, further declining from the 2.9% drop seen in June. This marks the fourth month in a row of diminishing retail performance and represents the steepest decline within this period. The downturn was primarily driven by continued reductions in sales of fuel and related products, which fell by 8.7% compared to a 6.9% decrease in June, and significant declines in motor vehicles, motorcycles, and their related parts and accessories, which plummeted by 19.7% from a 17.3% drop previously. Additionally, sales for information and communication equipment and electrical household appliances fell by 4.3%, reversing an earlier increase of 2.6%. Meanwhile, sales moderated for construction materials, which grew by 3.5% down from 4.5%, electronic shopping and mail-order houses, which increased by 7.3% compared to a previous rise of 8.9%, and other retail segments, which saw a 5.8% growth from an earlier 6.8%. However, sales saw a faster pace for categories such as food, beverages, and tobacco, rising by 9.8% from 7.7%, and retail trade occurring outside of traditional stores or stalls, which grew by 5.4%, an acceleration from the previous 4.9%. On a month-by-month basis, retail activity slipped by 0.4% in July 2025, a slight improvement from the more substantial 1.5% decline recorded in June.