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BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Shops and restaurants across China reported robust sales during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) showed on Thursday.
Sales in the catering and retails sectors reached 840 billion yuan (122.4 billion U.S. dollars), up 11.4 percent year on year, the MOC said in a statement.
Sales of traditional festival-related goods, jewelry, household appliances and digital products saw rapid growth. Major jewelry stores in Gansu, Hebei and Anhui provinces reported double-digit sales growth, with rooster-themed accessories most favored by consumers as the holiday marks the beginning of the Year of the Rooster.
Online shopping became increasingly popular as major e-commerce platforms launched promotional events to attract consumers.
In the catering market, apart from traditional family reunion dinners, restaurants worked more closely with e-commerce platforms to attract businesses.
The Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, which fell on Jan. 28 this year, is traditionally a time for family reunion in China. Businesses were brisk during the period as people swarmed to shops and restaurants.
