From January to February, the total retail sales of consumer goods above the designated size in Huai'an increased by 10.4% compared to the previous year, with February alone experiencing a 18.1% rise year-on-year. Among the above-designated-size enterprises, those in the wholesale, retail, accommodation, and catering sectors reported cumulative retail sales growth of 9.6%, 9.8%, 14.7%, and 13.2%, respectively. The retail sales of commodities in three major categories—the grain, oil, and food category, the communication equipment category, and the beverage category—increased by 34.0%, 22.1%, and 19.9%, respectively, continuing to maintain a positive recovery trend.

In February, the city's Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 100.9. Among a total of eight major categories of commodities, seven experienced a year-on-year rise in the prices of goods and services, while one saw a decline. Prices for food, tobacco, alcohol, and dining out rose 1.1%; clothing prices rose 0.9%; housing prices fell 1.3%; prices for daily necessities and services rose 3.1%; transportation and communication prices rose 1.2%; education, culture, and entertainment prices rose 1.1%; health care prices rose 5.0%; and prices for other goods and services rose 19.4%. The year-on-year increase was mainly because the Spring Festival fell in different months, and due to the recovery of consumer demand. Notably, the year-on-year increase in fresh food such as aquatic products, beef, mutton, and fresh fruit expanded, driving up food prices by 1.3%; while the price increases in airfares, travel accommodations, and domestic services drove up service prices by 1.7%.