Real Singapore retail sales stable in September

Real Singapore retail sales (excluding motor vehicles) slipped by 0.3 per cent in September compared to the same month last year. 

With motor vehicle sales included, the decrease was 2.2 per cent, marking the eighth consecutive monthly decrease in the headline figure.s 

Month on month, retail sales excluding vehicles rose by 0.8 per cent. 

Significantly, online sales grew to account for 6.9 per cent of total sales in September. 

Year on year, the worst affected categories asde from vehicles (down 12.3 per cent) were furniture and household equipment; recreational goods; and watches and jewellery which experienced declines of between 4.4 per cent and 8.9 per cent. Sales of department stores declined by 1.2 per cent respectively.

On the positive side, retailers of computer and telecommunications equipment posted sales growth of 8.7 per cent, while sales of apparel and footwear; medical goods and toiletries; and optical goods and books increased by between 2.1 per cent and 4.2 per cent.

Singapore retail sales of food and beverage services grew by 4.3 per cent year on year in September and by 0.4 per cent month on month.

Sales at fast-food outlets; cafes; food courts and other eating places; and restaurants reported sales up by 12.5 per cent, 4.6 per cent and 2.7 per cent respectively, while turnover of food caterers declined 0.5 per cent. 

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