In the first seven months of the year retail sales were up 13.4 percent from a year ago to 4.246 trillion yuan, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.

Sales in the first six months grew 13.4 percent compared with the same period last year, according to earlier figures.

Telecommunication equipment sales in July were up 20.5 percent from a year earlier, auto sales increased 13.6 percent and oil and related products climbed 39.1 percent.

Clothing sales rose 18.2 percent, daily consumer goods gained 19.2 percent, household appliances increased 12.5 percent, and grain and edible oils climbed 18.6 percent.

Sales of meat, poultry and eggs were up 16.9 percent in July.

In the catering sector sales for the month were up 16.7 percent at 78.2 billion yuan, the statistics bureau said.