SINGAPORE’S retail sales fell 0.6 per cent year on year in June, reversing from the 2.2 per cent growth in May.
Private-sector economists polled by Bloomberg had expected June’s retail sales to grow 3.8 per cent year on year.
On a month-on-month, seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales declined 3.7 per cent, reversing the previous month’s 2.4 per cent increase, Department of Statistics data on Monday (Aug 5) showed.
June’s total retail sales stood at S$3.8 billion. Online sales accounted for 12.1 per cent of this, compared with May’s 11.5 per cent.
Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales fell 3.1 per cent from the year-ago period, as well as declined sequentially – down 2.9 per cent on a month-on-month, seasonally adjusted basis.
Most retail sales categories recorded year-on-year declines in June:
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
-
Department stores (-5.4 per cent)
-
Recreational goods (-6.7 per cent)
-
Optical goods and books (-12.5 per cent)
-
Wearing apparel and footwear (-10.1 per cent)
-
Watches and jewellery (-1.7 per cent)
-
Mini-marts and convenience stores (-7.1 per cent)
-
Furniture and household equipment (-1.9 per cent)
-
Computer and telecommunications equipment (5.7 per cent)
-
Others (-3.8 per cent)
The exceptions were:
-
Supermarkets and hypermarkets (1.6 per cent)
-
Food and alcohol (5.3 per cent)
-
Motor vehicles (19.5 per cent)
-
Petrol service stations (0.4 per cent)
-
Cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods (0.9 per cent)
On a month-on-month, seasonally adjusted basis, sales also declined for most retail sales categories, except for supermarkets and hypermarkets (0.5 per cent); petrol service stations (1.1 per cent) and recreational goods (1.9 per cent).
Sales of food and beverage (F&B) services rose 1.8 per cent year on year, extending the revised 3 per cent growth recorded the month prior.
Sequentially, F&B sales decreased 3.2 per cent on a monthly, seasonally adjusted basis, reversing from the previous month’s revised 2.2 per cent increase.
Most F&B categories logged year-on-year gains, with food caterers (19.3 per cent) posting the biggest increase.
This was followed by cafes, food courts and other eating places (2.5 per cent) and restaurants (0.2 per cent). The exception was fast food outlets, which recorded a 4.9 per cent decline.
