Singapore retail sales – excluding motor vehicles – slid 3.1 per cent in June following a flat month in May.

The estimated total retail sales value in June was SG$3.3 billion (US$2.5 billion), of which 14.1 per cent were from online retail sales, according to the Department of Statistics.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales were up 3.3 per cent compared to May.

Most sectors within the retail trade recorded sales declines, led by optical goods & books with a 12.5 per cent drop. Wearing apparel & footwear and mini-marts & convenience stores reported declines of 10.1 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively. 

Meanwhile, food & alcohol bucked the trend with sales up 5.3 per cent. Sales of petrol service stations were flat, up only 0.4 per cent.

Within the food & beverage services sector, sales rose 1.8 per cent to SG$955 million (US$722 million), extending the 3 per cent growth in May. Of this, about 24 per cent came from online sales.