Real Singapore retail sales slipped by 3.7 per cent in June against May – and by 3 per cent year-on-year.

Those are the figures after motor vehicle sales are removed, according to Statistics Singapore, which estimated the nation’s total retail spend at $3.6 billion for the month.

Sales of recreational goods and smartphones & computers fell by 11.3 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively month-on-month. Sales of other categories, including apparel, food and beverages, optical goods, books, household equipment and in department stores fell by between 1.4 per cent and 7.2 per cent compared with May 2016.

The only retail category to show an improvement – besides cars – was supermarkets, up by a statistically irrelevant  0.1 per cent.

Year-on-year, sales of furniture and household goods rose by 5.8 per cent and of medical goods and toiletries by 3 per cent.

Sales of food & beverage services (through restaurants and cafes) fell by 3.3 per cent in June against May, and increased by 0.4 per cent year-on-year.  The total sales value of f&b services for the month was estimated at $649 million, $3 million higher than in June 2015.