Retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in April increased by 11.1%

Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue increased sharply.

According to information released by the General Statistics Office - Ministry of Finance on the morning of May 6, increased consumer and tourism demand during holidays and Tet, along with the increasing number of international visitors to Vietnam, are factors that have positively contributed to the growth of the trade and service sector since the beginning of the year.

Domestic market has high growth in April and the first 4 months of the year

Accordingly, the total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue at current prices in April 2025 is estimated at VND582.1 trillion, up 2.9% over the previous month and up 11.1% over the same period last year. Specifically, revenue from cultural and educational items increased by 10.9%; food and foodstuffs increased by 10.0%; household appliances, tools and equipment increased by 6.9%; garments increased by 6.6%; accommodation and catering services increased by 18.8%; and tourism and travel increased by 46.1%.

In the first four months of 2025, the total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue at current prices is estimated at VND 2,285.5 trillion, up 9.9% over the same period last year (up 8.6% over the same period in 2024). Excluding the price factor, the increase is 7.7% (up 5.4% over the same period in 2024).

In the total, retail sales of goods in the first four months of 2025 are estimated at VND 1,752.5 trillion, accounting for 76.7% of the total and increasing by 8.7% over the same period last year. Of which, the group of cultural and educational items increased by 12.6%; food and foodstuffs increased by 9.8%; clothing increased by 7.4%; household appliances, tools and equipment increased by 5.9%.

Retail sales of goods in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year in some localities are as follows: Hai Phong increased by 9.0%; Ho Chi Minh City increased by 8.5%; Can Tho increased by 8.1%; Da Nang increased by 7.7%; Hanoi increased by 7.4%.

Revenue from accommodation and catering services in the first four months of 2025 is estimated at VND270.6 trillion, accounting for 11.8% of the total and increasing by 14.9% over the same period last year. Revenue in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year of some localities is as follows: Quang Ninh increased by 19.4%; Da Nang increased by 18.7%; Ho Chi Minh City increased by 15.9%; Hanoi increased by 15.8%; Hai Phong increased by 15.2%; Can Tho increased by 11.1%.

Tourism revenue in the first four months of 2025 is estimated at VND30.4 trillion, accounting for 1.3% of the total and increasing by 24.5% over the same period last year due to the high demand for tourism during holidays, Tet and especially the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.

Some localities had high revenue growth in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, including: Dong Nai increased by 29.7%; Hanoi increased by 25.7%; Ho Chi Minh City increased by 25.3%; Quang Ninh increased by 23.5%; Da Nang increased by 22.3%; Binh Duong increased by 19.9%.

Revenue from other services in the first four months of 2025 is estimated at VND232.0 trillion, accounting for 10.2% of the total and increasing by 12.6% over the same period last year. Some localities achieved high revenue in the first four months of 2025, including: Can Tho increased by 27.5%; Quang Ninh increased by 13.6%; Ho Chi Minh City increased by 13.0%; Khanh Hoa increased by 11.1%; Hanoi increased by 6.9%; Hai Phong increased by 5.6%.

Ministry of Industry and Trade increases domestic consumption stimulus

In order to implement activities to stimulate demand and develop the market, recently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued Directive No. 01/CT-BCT on implementing solutions to stimulate consumption and promote domestic market development during the Lunar New Year and the first quarter of 2025. Accordingly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed the Departments of Industry and Trade, enterprises and units within the ministry to implement specific tasks.

In addition, on April 4, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Directive No. 08/CT-BCT on implementing solutions to continue promoting domestic market development and stimulating consumption in 2025. It assigned specific tasks to units within the ministry, enterprises, and industry associations, and assigned specific tasks and targets for retail market growth to each locality.

In addition, implementing Directive No. 08/CT-BCT dated April 4, 2025 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on April 5, 2025, the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development issued Official Dispatch No. 319/TTTN-NV directing the Departments of Industry and Trade of provinces and centrally run cities to direct the implementation of tasks on market inspection and supervision and plans to implement activities according to the Directive. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has also developed a master plan to stimulate consumption and develop the domestic market for the period 2025 - 2026 with specific contents and tasks and reported to the Government in April 2025. Currently, units are actively implementing assigned tasks to promote domestic market development and stimulate consumption.

At the Conference on Solutions for Developing the Domestic Market and Stimulating Consumption organized by the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade) on April 22 in Ho Chi Minh City, experts said that in the long term, the growth driver for domestic consumption must come from close coordination between public investment, institutional reform and domestic market development. In particular, administrative reform, especially in the field of taxation, needs to be promoted to create a transparent and effective business environment and promote sustainable consumption.

In the current context, Mr. Tran Huu Linh - Director of the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade) said that businesses need to quickly adapt to the trend of online shopping and the demand for green products with clear origins.

Mr. Linh called for close coordination between all levels, sectors, enterprises and the whole society to promote the production - distribution - consumption - credit finance - state management chain. From there, build a dynamic, modern and sustainable domestic market.

Currently, support programs such as VAT reduction, interest rate support for retail businesses, and promoting public investment help increase income for workers in the construction and infrastructure sectors, thereby promoting consumption.

The global commodity market in 2025 is forecast to continue to develop complicatedly due to geopolitical and global economic factors. In that context, the domestic market of Vietnam is identified as a "pillar" for stable economic growth and a potential market segment for businesses.

Lan Phuong

Source: https://congthuong.vn/retail-sales-and-consumer-services-in-April-increased-111-386210.html