Singapore retail sales continue their recovery

(Source: Bigstock)

Singapore retail sales rebounded 16.8 per cent in September (excluding motor vehicles), as travellers began to return to the city state and Covid concerns eased.

The year-on-year improvement followed a similar 16.6 per cent increase in August.

Statistics Singapore said apparel, food and liquor, and watches and jewellery were the main categories driving growth.

Apparel sales were up by 52.5 per cent, driven significantly by bags and footwear. Sales of food and liquor, watches and jewellery and in department stores, rose at rates ranging from 35.3 per cent to 51.7 per cent.

Online sales accounted for 15.6 per cent of total retail sales (excluding motor vehicles), with 50.8 per cent of computer and telecommunications equipment purchased online, 29.3 per cent of furniture and household equipment, and 14.2 per cent of supermarket and hypermarket sales.

Aside from motor vehicles, the only two categories to post sales declines in September were supermarkets and hypermarkets, down by 4.5 per cent, and minimarts and convenience stores, down by 0.7 per cent.

Food and beverage services sales surged 29.7 per cent, following on from August’s 40.1 per cent. The large growth rates during both months were mainly attributable to the low base in

September last year when strict restrictions on dining in at food and beverage outlets saw low sales.

Of the total US$915 million in food and beverage service sales in September, 24.4 per cent were conducted online, compared with 25.8 per cent in August, according to Statistics Singapore.

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