Retail sales up almost 3% in September

Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/24/2020
By: Liang Pei-chih and Frances Huang

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) Taiwan's retail sector got a boost from Ghost Month promotions to post sales growth of almost 3% from the same month a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

Retail sales in September totaled US$320.6 billion (US$10.76 billion), the highest ever for the month of September and 2.9% higher than a year earlier, data compiled by the MOEA showed.

MOEA Department of Statistics deputy chief Huang Wei-chieh (黃偉傑) attributed the gains to supermarket chains and other retailers running aggressive promotional campaigns for Ghost Month, the seventh month on the Lunar Calendar, which fell from Aug. 19 to Sept. 16 this year.

In Taiwan, many people believe ghosts roam around during Ghost Month, and they tend to buy food as offerings to comfort them in a bid to avoid bad luck.    [FULL  STORY]