Retail sales slid 2.2% to $3.5b in September

The motor vehicles industry recorded the largest decline as it crashed 12.3%.

Retail sales dipped 2.2% YoY to $3.5b in September, despite a1.9% MoM growth compared to August , according to data from the Department of Statistics (SingStat). Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales declined 0.3% YoY.

The motor vehicles industry dragged down sales, crashing 12.3% YoY due to fewer vehicles sold. The furniture & household equipment, recreational goods and watches & jewellery industries also saw sales declines of 4.4% and 8.9% YoY, respectively. Sales of petrol service stations and department stores went down by 3.3% and 1.2% over the same period as well.

On the other hand, retailers of computer & telecommunications equipment registered a growth in sales of 8.7% YoY in September. Wearing apparel & footwear, medical goods & toiletries and optical goods & books industries rose between 2.1% and 4.2%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the sales of food & beverage services in September inched up 0.4% YoY to $882m from $846m in 2018. Fast food outlets, cafes, food courts & other eating places and restaurants reported higher sales of 12.5%, 4.6% and 2.7% YoY, respectively.

On the other hand, turnover of Food Caterers declined 0.5% YoY over the same period.