“The retail industry has gradually stabilized and the consumer traffic at physical store channels has returned, leading retail sales to return to positive annual growth last month,” the ministry said in a statement. Retail sales grew 1.3 percent year-on-year to NT$325.4 billion (US$11.7 billion) in September, following three consecutive months of annual contraction, the ministry’s data showed on Monday last week. Food and beverage sales fell 11.2 percent from a year earlier to NT$57.3 billion, a fifth consecutive month of annual contraction despite a steady improvement since May, the ministry said. “The food and beverage sector registered an annual sales decrease in September as business and banquet activities had not fully recovered,” the ministry said. Sales in the wholesale sector increased 11.5 percent year-on-year to NT$1.07 trillion last month, a record high, the ministry said.

Source: Taipei Times October 31, 2021 22:00 UTC