October Singapore retail sales static

October Singapore retail sales inched up by 0.5 per cent year on year, after excluding motor vehicle sales from the data.

Month-on-month they fell by 2.1 per cent, reaching S$3.7 billion (US$2.69 billion).

Online retail sales breached the 5 per cent threshold of total retail sales at 5.3 per cent for October.

By category, sales by petrol stations soared the most, up 11.4 per cent year on year, however when the effects of price changes was removed from the data, the increase was a more moderate 1.5 per cent.

Sales of medical goods and toiletries rose 3.4 per cent on the back of cosmetics, with furniture and homewares up 1.5 per cent.

In contrast, sales in department stores and supermarkets decreased 3.6 per cent and 2.9 per cent respectively. Retailers of optical goods and books and recreational goods declined by 1.9 per cent and 1.8 per cent.

Sales of food and beverage services rose 1.1 per cent, with food caterers recording a 5.6 per cent increase in turnover, other eating places (such as cafes) improving by 3.8 per cent, and fast-food outlets by 3.2 per cent.

Restaurant turnover, however, was down 3 per cent.