During January to September 2021, online retail sales of goods in China were up 18.5 per cent year on year. Sale of physical goods were up 15.2 per cent year on year. Among physical goods, retail sales of clothing inched up 15.6 per cent year on year.

In August 2021, retail sales of social consumer goods saw a year-on-year growth of 2.5 per cent, three per cent higher than that of 2019. By consumption type, in August, retail sales of commodity had a year-on-year growth of 3.3 per cent. From January to August, retail sales of commodity were up by 16.5 per cent year-on-year. Retail sales of clothing, foot and head wear and knitted goods were down six per cent year on year in August. From January to August, China’s online retail sales grew 19.7 per cent year on year. In online retail sales of physical commodities, wearing goods increased by 19.4 per cent year on year.

China's garment industry reported higher revenue and profit in the first eight months of 2021. From January to August, the combined operating revenue of 12,520 major garment companies was up 9.6 per cent year on year. Total profits of these companies rose 9.5 per cent from a year earlier while the combined output expanded 12.9 per cent year on year to 15.2 billion pieces.