Real Singapore retail sales fell 3.1 per cent year-on-year in July according to official data.

Real sales, as Inside Retail Singapore defines it, excludes motor vehicles; with those included, year-on-year sales rose 2.8 per cent.

Compared to June, real retail sales in July rose 3 per cent.

The total retail sales value in July 2016 was estimated at $3.7 billion, higher than the $3.6 billion in July 2015.

Smartphones and computers led the year-on-year decline, with sales down 18.8 per cent, suggesting there may be a turnaround in September, given the launch of the new Apple iPhone range and initial sales of the now-suspended Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Sales of watches & jewellery, food & beverages, recreational goods, optical goods & books, furniture & household equipment, wearing apparel & footwear and department stores declined between 0.7 per cent and 9.6 per cent in July 2016.

The only winning categories were medical goods & toiletries, mini-marts & convenience stores and supermarkets which increased by between 0.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent over the same period.

Month on month

Besides motor vehicles, food & beverages was the only category to post a sales decline over June, decreasing 1.3 per cent.

After seasonal adjustment, retail sales of recreational goods increased 13.6 per cent. Medical goods & toiletries, optical goods & books, wearing apparel & footwear, computer & telecommunications equipment, watches & jewellery, petrol service stations, mini-marts & convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores; and furniture & household equipment rose by between 0.4 per cent and 8 per cent.

Sales of food & beverage services

Sales of food & beverage services consumer away from home (seasonally adjusted) increased by 3.6 per cent month-on-month in July and 3.5 per cent year-on-year.

The total sales value of food & beverage services in July 2016 was estimated at $698 million, higher than the $675 million in July 2015.

After seasonal adjustment, turnover of fast food outlets, restaurants and food caterers increased between 5.4 per cent and 11.5 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, sales of other eating places, such as cafes, declined 1.4 per cent.

Year-on-year, sales of fast food outlets and other eating places increased 16.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively in July. But, turnover of food caterers and restaurants declined 0.5 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.