Retailers feeling online pressure

The traditional brick-and-mortar retail sector suffered two significant setbacks last year, with both numbers of people employed and revenue growth falling significantly.

According to a report from the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, staff numbers employed by chain stores and franchises dropped 1.3 percent on 2013, while sales revenue growth was 8.8 percent, down from 11.4 percent, a direct result of ongoing pressure from online retailers.

Pei Liang, the association's secretary-general, said it was the first time that both key figures had dropped. The number of sites operated by retailers also fell, he said, by 2.3 percent, while department stores reported slower growth too.