August retail sales plunge as COVID-19 cases on rise

Dozens of loaded trucks and container trucks queue for entering Can Tho on August 26 as the Mekong Delta city goes into social distancing state to contain the COVID-19 spread. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Total retail sales of goods and services in August slid 10.5 percent month-on-month and 33.7 percent year-on-year as a result of restrictions imposed to contain the ongoing COVID-19 resurgence, data from the General Statistics Office (GSO) shows.

The spike in COVID-19 cases has forced many parts of the country to go into social distancing state under the Prime Minister’s Directive No.16, bringing trade, travel and tourism to a grinding halt, according to the GSO.

This month, the transport sector carried more than 60.7 million passengers and nearly 91.1 million tonnes of goods, down 75.9 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

International arrivals were estimated at around 9,300, up 24.4 percent month-on-month but 43 percent year-on-year.

In the first eight months of 2021, total revenue from retail trade and services dropped 4.7 percent year-on-year to exceed 3.04 quadrillion VND (over 133.43 billion USD). The transport industry served over 1.92 billion passengers and handled close to 1.07 billion tonnes of goods during the period, down 18.8 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.

Foreign arrivals shrank 97.2 percent to just 105,000 over the last eight months./.

VNA