People in Guangdong spent the most on consumer products last year as the province's consumer spending hit a new high, statistics indicated.

According to the provinces' statistics bureau, total retail revenue from social consumer products in the province reached 911.8 billion yuan ($116.9 billion), accounting for one-tenth of the total in the nation, far ahead of other provinces.

The figure is 199.56 billion yuan ($25.58 billion) and 2,494.9 billion ($319.86 billion) higher than that of Shandong and Jiangsu provinces in East China, the second and third province in spending.

Gunagdong's spending also marks an annual increase of 15.7 percent, setting a record in the past 10 years in the province. The growth is 2 percentage points higher than the national average level.

With bulging wallets, people in Guangdong went on a shopping spree. Total revenue from social consuming product retail was 7.986 billion yuan ($10.24 billion) in 1978 and 485.67 billion yuan ($62.27 billion) in 2001. Last year's spending was 114 times that of 1978 and 1.88 times of 2001.

A report from the provincial statistics bureau said the rising spending is closely linked to the continuous progress made in the process of urbanization and the gradual yet active rural market. Spending by urban residents constitutes 73.9 percent of the total.

It is still the major force that propels the growth in retail revenue of consuming products. In the rural consuming product market, total retail revenue was 2,262.26 billion yuan ($290 billion), up 16.6 percent from 2005.

Driven by holidays, tourism and enhanced living quality, hotel and catering industry showed a robust growth of 16.4 percent by realizing a total revenue of 1,321.13 billion yuan ($169.37).

Sales in consuming market in the northern and western regions of Guangdong also witnessed rapid development. Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan became the top three spenders in the province with an increase of 15 percent, 16.2 percent and 19.8 percent respectively last year. Small cities in the province such as Chaozhou, Heyuan and Yunfu also saw increases in retail sales, said the report.

The consuming structure is also steadily upgrading, making it another reason for driving up consuming growth.

It was learnt that average price for commercial house in the province increased 11.9 percent last year. Urban residents in the province spent 20.9 percent more on housing than that of 2005.

In the urban areas of Guangdong, motor vehicle in service for every 100 households was 1.7 in 2000. It soared to 12.9 or nearly eight times of last year.

As the most prosperous province in the country, Guangdong also sees its top position in the outstanding of bank savings of rural and urban residents, hitting 2,267.7 billion yuan ($290.7 billion).

Editor: Yan