TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部) reported on Monday (Dec. 24) that Taiwan's retail sales in November reached NT$438.1 billion, marking a record high for a single month with a 1.8% year-over-year increase. This surge, spurred by the WBSC Premier12 victory and concerts at Taipei Dome (台北大巨蛋), suggests a promising year-end for retail and dining industries.
Officials noted that November's food and beverage sector revenue hit NT$85.4 billion, a 7.2% increase from the previous year, setting a new monthly record. Comprehensive retail sales also reached NT$137.9 billion, the best performance for the period. Promotional activities boosted the sales of convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and department stores by 6%, 9.4%, 7.4%, and 3.1%, respectively.
However, the auto and motorcycle retail sector saw a 4.1% decline due to last year's high base period. Restaurants and beverage shops benefited from Double 11 (雙十一) and baseball-related promotions, increasing their sales by 7.6% and 3.6%. The catering and banquet contracting industry experienced a 9.7% rise in airline catering revenue due to increased transportation demand.
Wholesale sales in November reached NT$1.07 trillion, a 1.7% increase. The first 11 months totaled NT$11.7762 trillion, a record high. MOEA official Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑) anticipates record-breaking annual revenues for wholesale, retail, and dining, with expected wholesale growth of 7.9% to 8.2%, retail growth of 2.6% to 2.8%, and dining growth of 3.2% to 3.5%.
