Key statistics on operating characteristics of import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors in 2021
According to the results of the 2021 Annual Survey of Economic Activities – Import/Export, Wholesale and Retail Trades, and Accommodation and Food Services Sectors released today (November 30) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total receipts (i.e. sales and other receipts) of the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors amounted to $5,533.2 billion in 2021, representing an increase of 19.9% compared with 2020; on a per establishment basis, total receipts increased by 19.6% compared with 2020 to $37.9 million in 2021.
Operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees of the above sectors altogether amounted to $5,129.4 billion in 2021, representing an increase of 19.9% compared with 2020; on a per establishment basis, they altogether increased by 19.5% compared with 2020 to $35.1 million in 2021.
Gross surplus of the sectors, which is equal to total receipts less operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees, increased by 20.1% compared with 2020 to $403.9 billion in 2021; on a per establishment basis, gross surplus was $2.8 million in 2021, which increased by 19.8% compared with 2020. For all these sectors taken together, gross surplus accounted for 7.3% of total receipts in 2021, which was similar to that in 2020.
Industry value added of the sectors, which is a measure of their total contribution to Hong Kong’s Gross Domestic Product, amounted to $615.3 billion in 2021, which increased by 16.8% compared with 2020; on a per establishment basis, industry value added was $4.2 million in 2021, which increased by 16.5% compared with 2020.
According to the survey results, it was estimated that the aforementioned sectors comprised some 146 000 establishments and engaged about 945 300 persons, or an average of 6.5 persons per establishment, in 2021.
In the import/export trade, total receipts amounted to $4,632.1 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $4,260.8 billion in 2021. Gross surplus increased from $303.3 billion in 2020 to $371.3 billion in 2021, accounting for 8.0% of total receipts in 2021. Industry value added increased by 15.6% compared with 2020 to $490.1 billion.
In the wholesale trade, total receipts amounted to $308.2 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $299.6 billion in 2021. Gross surplus increased from $6.1 billion in 2020 to $8.6 billion in 2021, accounting for 2.8% of total receipts in 2021. Industry value added increased by 20.6% compared with 2020 to $21.8 billion.
In the retail trade, total receipts amounted to $446.9 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $427.0 billion in 2021. Gross surplus decreased from $20.7 billion in 2020 to $19.9 billion in 2021, accounting for 4.5% of total receipts in 2021. Industry value added increased by 14.4% compared with 2020 to $54.5 billion.
In the accommodation services sector which covers hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation, total receipts amounted to $25.0 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $24.8 billion in 2021. Gross surplus changed from a deficit of $1.4 billion in 2020 to a surplus of $0.2 billion in 2021, accounting for 1.0% of total receipts in 2021. Industry value added increased sharply by 80.6% compared with 2020 to $11.0 billion.
In the food services sector which mainly covers restaurants, total receipts amounted to $121.0 billion while operating expenses, cost of goods sold and compensation of employees totalled $117.2 billion in 2021. Gross surplus decreased from $7.5 billion in 2020 to $3.8 billion in 2021, accounting for 3.1% of total receipts in 2021. Industry value added increased by 22.2% compared with 2020 to $37.8 billion.
Selected statistics for the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors in 2020 and 2021 are shown in the attached table.
More detailed survey results on the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation and food services sectors will be given in the report “Key Statistics on Business Performance and Operating Characteristics of the Import/Export, Wholesale and Retail Trades, and Accommodation and Food Services Sectors in 2021”. Users can download this report at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080014&scode=540) as from end-December 2022.
Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7399; email: asw@censtatd.gov.hk). read more