Kuala lumpur: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade in July 2025 saw total sales reaching RM156.4 billion, marking a five per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) growth, as reported by the Statistics Department Malaysia (DOSM).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin attributed the growth mainly to the wholesale and retail sub-sectors. He noted that the wholesale trade sub-sector registered RM70.1 billion in sales, reflecting a 5.4 per cent increase y-o-y, while the retail trade showed a 5.6 per cent rise, achieving RM67.0 billion in sales.

The motor vehicles sub-sector also contributed with sales amounting to RM19.3 billion, signifying a modest 1.6 per cent y-o-y increase. Dr Mohd Uzir highlighted the acceleration of digital payments in July 2025, further enhancing retail activities.

E-money transactions saw a significant surge of 69.8 per cent y-o-y to RM22.8 billion, while the use of the real-time retail payment platform (RPP) escalated to RM311.5 billion, indicating a growing consumer preference for instant transactions. Additionally, FPX transactions increased by 23.4 per cent to RM41.4 billion, aligning with the rising adoption of online banking. Credit card spending was stable at RM18.8 billion, and debit card usage grew by 5.4 per cent to RM13.3 billion, underscoring a shift towards a more cashless economy in Malaysia.

The performance across sub-sectors showed steady expansion, with other specialised wholesale trade achieving a four per cent y-o-y increase to RM25.8 billion, driven by higher sales of petrol, diesel, lubricants, construction materials, hardware, and plumbing supplies. In the retail trade sub-sector, sales in non-specialised stores rose by 5.5 per cent y-o-y to RM25.8 billion, mainly supported by provision stores, mini markets, department stores, and supermarkets.

Online retail sales continued to grow, with the online retail sales index increasing by 5.8 per cent y-o-y, reflecting a sustained consumer preference for digital shopping platforms. On a month-on-month basis, this index rose by 1.2 per cent after seasonal adjustments.

In terms of volume index, the wholesale and retail trade improved by 4.6 per cent y-o-y, driven primarily by wholesale trade (5.9 per cent), retail trade (4.4 per cent), and motor vehicles (0.9 per cent). The month-on-month increase was 2.8 per cent after seasonal adjustments.