Retail sales plunge 7.2% in August

Motor vehicle sales declined the most at 17.4%.

According to a report by the Singapore Department of Statistics, retail sales (seasonally adjusted) decreased 7.2% in August 2011 compared to July 2011. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales declined 3.9%.

Retail sales in August 2011 went up 3.3% compared to August 2010. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales increased 7.4%.

Sales of Food & Beverage Services
Sales of food & beverage services (seasonally adjusted) decreased 2.4% in August 2011 over the previous month.

Compared to a year ago, sales of food & beverage services went up 7.2% in August 2011.

Month-on-Month Change (Seasonally Adjusted)
After seasonal adjustment, retailers of motor vehicles and telecommunications apparatus & computers registered declines in sales of 17.4% and 14.6% respectively in August 2011 compared to the previous month. Retail sales of watches & jewellery, wearing apparel & footwear, petrol service stations, optical goods & books, recreational goods and medical goods & toiletries also decreased between 3.1% and 9.8% over July 2011.

On the other hand, retail sales of food & beverages increased 3.3% in August 2011 compared  to the previous month.

Year-on-Year Change
Compared to August 2010, retailers of watches & jewellery and petrol service stations recorded increases in sales of 21.3% and 15.3% respectively in August 2011.

Similarly, retail sales of wearing apparel & footwear, medical goods & toiletries, provision & sundry shops, department stores, furniture & household equipment, food & beverages, recreational goods and supermarkets increased between 1.8% and 8.8%.

Conversely, retailers of motor vehicles reported a 9.7% decline in sales in August 2011 over August 2010. Retail sales of telecommunication apparatus & computers and optical goods & books decreased 4.7% and 3.4% respectively.

Sales of Food & Beverage Services by Sector
Month-on-Month Change (Seasonally Adjusted)
After seasonal adjustment, receipts of fast food outlets, restaurants and other eating places (such as cafes and canteens) declined between 2.2% and 3.5% in August 2011 compared to the previous month. Receipts of food caterers registered a 0.7% decrease over the same period.

Year-on-Year Change
All major segments reported higher turnover in August 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. Turnover of other eating places, fast food outlets and restaurants went up between 6.2% and 8.8%, while receipts of food caterers increased 4.6% in August 2011 over August 2010.