Singapore Retail Sales YoY1986-2021 Data | 2022-2023 Forecast | Calendar

Singapore's retail sales jumped 5.2 percent year-on-year in February 2021, ending a 24-month period of decline, due to the Chinese New Year celebrations. There were increases in sales of wearing apparel & footwear (31.6 percent vs -28.4 percent in January); watches & jewelry (34.1 percent vs -8.1 percent); petrol service stations (0.8 percent vs -7.3 percent); supermarkets & hypermarkets (13.6 percent vs 7.3 percent); recreational goods (13.9 percent vs 7.3 percent); mini-marts & convenience stores (1.0 percent vs -3.8 percent); furniture & household equipment (11.4 percent vs 28.9 percent); and computer & telecommunication equipment (12.8 percent vs 24.4 percent). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales fell by 1.6% in February, after decreasing by 1.7 percent in January.

Singapore's retail sales declined by 6.1% year-on-year in January of 2021, much faster than a downwardly revised 3.3% drop a month earlier. This was the 24th straight month of decrease in retail trade and the steepest pace in three months, reflecting the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on consumption. Sales shrank further for food & alcohol (-43.6% vs -32.4% in December), petrol service (-7.3% vs -5%), cosmetics, toiletries (-31.8% vs -33.3%), wearing apparel (-28.5% vs -22.9%), watches & jewelry (-8.1% vs -10.1%), optical good & books (-6.1% vs -8.8%), others (-9.8% vs -12.2%), and department stores (-36.1% vs -28.8%). By contrast, sales grew for motor vehicles (10.3% vs 3.3%), furniture (25.9% vs 21.2%), computer & telecommunication equipment (24.8% vs 25.4%), and supermarkets (7.8% vs 25.4%). On a monthly basis, retail sales fell by 1.8%, after a revised 1% decrease in December.

Singapore's retail sales declined by 3.6 percent year-on-year in December of 2020, after a downwardly revised 1.7 percent drop a month earlier. This was the 23rd straight month of decrease in retail trade, dragged by food & alcohol (-35.0% vs -36.8% in November), petrol service (-5.0% vs -12.9%), cosmetics, toiletries (-35.4% vs -26.7%), wearing apparel (-22.8% vs -23.1%), watches & jewelry (-10.2% vs -7.6%), optical good & books (-11.6% vs -8.7%), others (-10.5% vs -19.2%), and department stores (-28.7% vs -23.5%). By contrast, sales grew for motor vehicles (3.3% vs 5.2%), furniture (20.8% vs 27.3%), computer & telecommunication equipment (24.8% vs 28.8%), and supermarkets (25.3% vs 23.3%). On a monthly basis, retail sales fell by 0.9%, reversing from an upwardly revised 7.5% jump in November.

Singapore's retail sales dropped by 1.9% year-on-year in November 2020, slowing from a marginally revised 8.5% decline in October. This was the 22nd straight month of fall in retail trade, and the slowest pace since July last year, as purchases declined less for food & alcohol (-37.3% vs -43.7% in October), cosmetics, toiletries & medical goods (-27.5% vs -29.9%), footwear (-22.3% vs -26.2%), watches & jewelry (-8.6% vs -24.1%), optical goods & books (-8.8% vs -12.7%), department stores (-24.5% vs -35.2%) and others (-19.1% vs -19.8%). Meanwhile, sales of petrol service continued to drop (-12.9% vs -12.4%). By contrast, purchases grew for motor vehicles (5.2% vs 7.5%), furniture & household equipment (28.5% vs 13.2%) and recreational goods (13.1% vs 9.7%) while that of computer & telecommunications equipment rebounded sharply (29.0% vs -18.5%). On a monthly basis, retail sales rose by 7.3% in November, the most in four months, after a 0.2% growth in October.