Retail sales in Indonesia dropped 14.9 per cent on a yearly basis in October, the biggest fall since June and after an 8.7 per cent fall in September, according to a central bank survey released on Thursday.

Sales of food, beverages and tobacco products contracted in October, after recording positive growth a month earlier, while a drop in sales of communication equipment accelerated, the survey showed.

The survey estimated an even deeper slump in retail sales of 15.7 per cent in November.