Vietnam Retail Sales Rise the Least in 4 Months

Vietnam’s retail sales rose 14.1% year-on-year in September 2026, slowing slightly from 14.9% in the prior month and marking the slowest growth since May. Still, sales growth remained robust across major categories, including goods (13.1% vs 12.8% in August), accommodation and food services (19.7% vs 16.4%), and travel (19.2% vs 17.1%). Sales of other goods also posted a strong rise of 14.5%. On a monthly basis, retail sales went up 1.7%. In the first nine months of the year, retail trade increased 13.4% from the same period of 2025.

Retail sales in Vietnam rose by 14.9% year-on-year in August 2026, accelerating from a 14.5% increase in July and marking the strongest growth since January 2023. Retail sales of goods, which accounted for around three-quarters of total activity, grew 12.8% year-on-year in the first eight months, while accommodation and catering revenue climbed 16.4% and travel services jumped 17.1%. Sales of gems, precious metals and related products recorded the fastest growth among major retail categories, rising 28.1% over the same period, while sales of other goods and wood and construction materials also posted strong gains. Automobile sales were a notable exception, declining both month-on-month and year-on-year in August. On a monthly basis, total retail sales of goods and consumer services increased 1.6%. Overall, total retail sales reached VND5,235.5 trillion in the first eight months, up 13.3% year-on-year, while growth excluding price effects stood at 7.6%.

Retail sales in Vietnam rose by 14.5% year-on-year in July 2026, easing slightly from a 14.8% increase in the previous month. Growth moderated across most major categories, with service-related segments such as accommodation and food services slowing to 19.0% from 19.7% in June, travel and tourism services easing to 24.3% from 24.9%, and other services decelerating to 14.1% from 17.9%. In contrast, retail sales of goods remained resilient, accounting for 75.5% of total activity and rising 13.6% after a 13.4% increase in June. In the first seven months of 2026, total retail sales increased 13.1% compared with the same period a year earlier.