In light of the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 4) commenced a stepped-up year-end clean-up campaign six weeks before the Lunar New Year, aiming to arouse public awareness of maintaining personal hygiene and cleanliness in the community as well as consolidate the efforts of keeping Hong Kong clean and containing the pandemic.
      
     An FEHD spokesman said, "The FEHD has launched this two-week stepped-up campaign prior to the territory wide annual year-end clean-up campaign in light of the ongoing pandemic. During these two weeks, street cleaning operations at complaint hotspots will be enhanced in all districts. The territory-wide year-end clean-up campaign will commence on January 18, following the stepped-up campaign."
      
     He added, "During the stepped-up campaign, the FEHD will remind residents, shop owners and operators of food premises to pay attention to hygiene conditions in public areas through distributing pamphlets, giving advice and issuing warnings. Stringent enforcement actions will also be taken against offenders."
      
     In collaboration with other government departments, the FEHD is rolling out the territory-wide anti-rodent campaign in two phases this year. The first phase was launched today and will run until March 12. The FEHD will continue to adopt multi-pronged strategies, including improving environmental hygiene and stepping up rodent disinfestation and enforcement actions, for carrying out rodent prevention and control work.
                    
     To tie in with the commencement of the stepped-up campaign, a dedicated thematic website on the year-end clean-up campaign was launched today to consolidate the efforts and work of the FEHD's clean-up campaign. Regular updates of the work on anti-pandemic, rodent prevention and control, and handling of shop front extension problem will be reported. Meanwhile, the website will also provide useful information and advices on environmental hygiene for gaining public collaboration and understanding. For more information, please visit the FEHD website: www.fehd.gov.hk.
      
     The spokesman stressed that maintaining a clean and hygienic community hinges on the co-operation and active participation of everyone. He called for the concerted efforts of every member of the public to maintain environmental hygiene and fight the virus together.

  

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest figures on retail sales today (January 4).

​     The value of total retail sales in November 2020, provisionally estimated at $28.7 billion, decreased by 4.0% compared with the same month in 2019. The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in October 2020 decreased by 8.7% compared with a year earlier. For the first eleven months of 2020 taken together, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total retail sales decreased by 25.3% compared with the same period in 2019.

​     After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in November 2020 decreased by 4.7% compared with a year earlier. The revised estimate of the volume of total retail sales in October 2020 decreased by 9.2% compared with a year earlier. For the first eleven months of 2020 taken together, the provisional estimate of the total retail sales decreased by 26.6% in volume compared with the same period in 2019.

​     Analysed by broad type of retail outlet in descending order of the provisional estimate of the value of sales and comparing November 2020 with November 2019, the value of sales of commodities in department stores decreased by 12.4%. This was followed by sales of food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-8.8% in value); jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts (-16.1%); wearing apparel (-13.3%); medicines and cosmetics (-34.8%); fuels (-5.5%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-18.3%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (-17.7%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-15.2%); and optical shops (-16.5%).

​     On the other hand, the value of sales of electrical goods and other consumer durable goods, not elsewhere classified increased by 22.0% in November 2020 over a year earlier. This was followed by sales of commodities in supermarkets (+1.6% in value); other consumer goods, not elsewhere classified (+15.3%); motor vehicles and parts (+22.2%); and furniture and fixtures (+15.1%).

​     Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales increased by 5.6% in the three months ending November 2020 compared with the preceding three-month period, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales increased by 5.4%.
 
​     These retail sales statistics measure the sales receipts in respect of goods sold by local retail establishments and are primarily intended for gauging the short-term business performance of the local retail sector. Data on retail sales are collected from local retail establishments through the Monthly Survey of Retail Sales (MRS). Local retail establishments with and without physical shops are covered in MRS and their sales, both through conventional shops and online channels, are included in the retail sales statistics.

​     The retail sales statistics cover consumer spending on goods but not on services (such as those on housing, catering, medical care and health services, transport and communication, financial services, education and entertainment) which account for over 50% of the overall consumer spending. Moreover, they include spending on goods in Hong Kong by visitors but exclude spending outside Hong Kong by Hong Kong residents. Hence they should not be regarded as indicators for measuring overall consumer spending.

​     Users interested in the trend of overall consumer spending should refer to the data series of private consumption expenditure (PCE), which is a major component of the Gross Domestic Product published at quarterly intervals. Compiled from a wide range of data sources, PCE covers consumer spending on both goods (including goods purchased from all channels) and services by Hong Kong residents whether locally or abroad. Please refer to the C&SD publication "Gross Domestic Product (Quarterly)" for more details.

Commentary

​     A government spokesman said that the year-on-year decline in retail sales narrowed further in November, primarily due to the notable increase in sales at retail outlets of consumer durable goods.

​     Looking ahead, the spokesman pointed out that as inbound tourism remains at a standstill, and the fourth wave of the local epidemic has weighed on local consumption sentiment since the latter part of November, the business environment of the retail trade will remain challenging in the near term. The Government will monitor the developments closely.

Further information

​     Table 1 presents the revised figures on value index and value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for October 2020 as well as the provisional figures for November 2020. The provisional figures on the value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet as well as the corresponding year-on-year changes for the first eleven months of 2020 taken together are also shown.

​     Table 2 presents the revised figures on volume index of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for October 2020 as well as the provisional figures for November 2020. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first eleven months of 2020 taken together are also shown.

​     Table 3 shows the movements of the value and volume of total retail sales in terms of the year-on-year rate of change for a month compared with the same month in the preceding year based on the original series, and in terms of the rate of change for a three-month period compared with the preceding three-month period based on the seasonally adjusted series.

​     The classification of retail establishments follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
​     
​     More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Monthly Survey of Retail Sales". Users can download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=B1080003). Alternatively, the historical series of retail sales statistics can be downloaded in the form of a statistical table at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=D5600089).

​     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7400; email: mrs@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, January 4, 2021 is 100.2 (down 0.6 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, January 2, 2021 was 100.8 (same as last Thursday's index).

     The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund) Task Force announced today (January 4) the appointment of a collaborative coalition of 10 organisations led by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service as an intermediary to design, develop and operate an inclusive one-stop Gerontechnology Platform to promote the development of the gerontechnology ecosystem in Hong Kong. The other nine organisations are Global Centre for Modern Ageing Limited; Haven of Hope Christian Service; Hong Kong Productivity Council; Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation; Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Limited; Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited; Our Hong Kong Foundation Limited; and School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong. The three-year project has commenced on January 1, 2021.

     The Chief Executive announced in the 2020 Policy Address Supplement to "Design, develop and operate an inclusive 'Gerontechnology Platform' under the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund to link up different stakeholders on the supply and demand sides and enhance synergy by way of engagement, cross-sector partnership and collaboration." The Gerontechnology Platform will comprise four basic functionalities, namely (1) a knowledge hub; (2) network and capacity building; (3) consultancy, localisation and testing support; and (4) impact assessment, with a view to enhancing the quality of life, independence and self-reliance of the elderly as well as providing support to their families, caregivers, healthcare staff and institutions. 

     The SIE Fund had funded in 2017 the first landscape study on gerontechnology in Hong Kong. The study report summarised major difficulties faced by the gerontechnology sector including insufficient collaboration among stakeholders, difficulty in localising overseas successful products, lack of a testing ground for product development, etc. Stakeholders from different sectors were of the view that the Fund should consider establishing a gerontechnology platform that would link up different stakeholders to foster the development of the gerontechnology ecosystem in Hong Kong.

     Upon further consultation with stakeholders, the SIE Fund decided to engage an intermediary to design, develop and operate an inclusive Gerontechnology Platform. In 2019, the Fund initiated an open invitation exercise to invite interested parties to submit proposals to act as the intermediary. Assessments of the proposals received had been completed and based on the assessment result, the Fund appointed the aforementioned intermediary.

     The SIE Fund looks forward to working closely with the intermediary on the Gerontechnology Platform with the aim of connecting and gathering the efforts of stakeholders from different sectors to build a vigorous gerontechnology ecosystem in Hong Kong that will help address the problem of an ageing population in a more holistic manner. The Fund will oversee and support the intermediary to implement the project. The Fund will also closely monitor the project's progress, ensuring that the four basic functionalities will be rolled out on schedule during the three-year funding period to benefit stakeholders of different sectors and people from all walks of life, particularly to enhance the well-being of the elderly under the "new normal".  

     The SIE Fund was inaugurated in 2013 as a catalyst for social innovation in Hong Kong. The Fund collaborates with different sectors including businesses, non-governmental organisations, academics and philanthropies, etc, to create social impacts through innovative solutions that address poverty and social exclusion, while seeking to foster the well-being and cohesion of society. In addition to nurturing social ventures through intermediaries' programmes, the Fund actively identifies service gaps across the whole of Hong Kong where there is a need for greater co-ordination and collaboration to achieve a bigger impact, and funds infrastructure or institutions to help plug these gaps. The establishment of the Gerontechnology Platform is the second flagship project commissioned by the Fund, riding on the success of the first project launched in 2016 to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall food support service in Hong Kong.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (January 4) that the Scheme on Relief Grants for Interest Class Instructors Hired by Organisations Subvented by the Social Welfare Department (Phase 3) (Scheme III) is open for application from today, with March 31 as the closing date. Application details have been uploaded to the SWD website. Successful applicants of Phase 1 (Scheme I) and/or Phase 2 (Scheme II) will be notified of Scheme III through short message service. Eligible applicants may apply for Scheme III through completing and mailing the application forms to the SWD direct for processing. For new applicants, completed application forms are to be submitted to the SWD through the subvented welfare service units concerned.
      
     As one of the measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund approved in December 2020, Scheme III aims at providing a one-off relief grant of $7,500 for each of the eligible successful applicants of Scheme I and/or Scheme II, and interest class instructors engaged/planned to be engaged by subvented welfare service units of the SWD-subvented organisations for providing training in arts, dancing, handicraft work and sports, etc, for service users during the period from January to April 2021, where the units' services have been suspended and the instructors' income affected owing to the prevailing epidemic situation, so as to provide further support and help lessen the impact of COVID-19 on them. For those instructors who have submitted applications to the Education Bureau for relief grants for school instructors of learning/interest classes or to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for relief grants for registered sports coaches, further submission to the SWD is not required.