If the price factor was excluded, the purchasing power during the January-September period increased by 9.2%, higher than the 9.1% level recorded in the same period of 2018, according to the General Statistics Office.
Regarding September alone, retail sales of goods and service revenue were estimated at VND420.3 trillion (US$18.07 billion), up 1.7% against the previous month and up 12.7% year on year.
Retail sales of goods for the full nine-month period surged by 12.6% year on year, reaching VND2.76 quadrillion (US$118.68 billion), accounting for 76% of the total. Of which, purchases of educational and cultural products grew by 17.4% year on year, followed by food and foodstuff (up 15.4%), home appliances (up 13%), textiles and apparel (up 12%) and transportation (up 10.2%).
The localities with the highest purchasing power growth rates included Quang Ninh (19.7%), Binh Duong (17.6%), Thanh Hoa (15.1%), Hai Phong (14.9%), Da Nang (13.9%), Nghe An (13.8%), and Hanoi (12.7%).
The nine-month revenue from accommodation and catering services rose 9.6% year on year to VND434.7 trillion (US$18.69 billion), accounting for 12% of the total.
Travel sales in the period amounted to an estimate of VND33.5 trillion (US$1.44 billion), representing 0.9% of the total and climbing by 12% from a year ago.
Sales of other services were estimated at VND404.3 trillion (US$17.38 billion), taking up 11% of the total and representing an expansion of 7.3% compared to the same period in 2018.
