Ka-ching!: Retail sales up 2.1% in July

Food and beverage sales also rose 1.6%.

According to Singapore Department of Statistics' report, retail sales increased 2.1% in July 2011 compared to June 2011. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales rose 1.3%.

Retail sales in July 2011 went up 10.7% compared to July 2010. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales similarly increased 10.7%.

Food & beverage sales increased 1.6% in July 2011 over the previous month. Compared to a year ago, food & beverage sales went up 10.0% in July 2011.

Retail Sales by Sector
Month-on-Month Change
After seasonal adjustment, retailers of petrol service stations, medical goods & toiletries, motor vehicles and wearing apparel & footwear registered growth in sales ranging from 4.1% to 7.1% in July 2011 compared to the previous month. Retail sales of recreational goods, department stores, supermarkets and optical goods & books also increased between 1.8% and 2.8% over June 2011.

Conversely, retail sales of food & beverages, watches & jewellery and telecommunications apparatus & computers decreased between 3.0% and 4.9% in July 2011 compared to the previous month.

Year-on-Year Change
Compared to July 2010, retailers of watches & jewellery and telecommunications apparatus & computers recorded increases in sales of 29.2% and 25.3% respectively in July 2011. Similarly, petrol service stations, and retailers of motor vehicles and wearing apparel & footwear recorded double-digit growth in sales ranging from 10.4% to 18.8%. Retail sales of department stores, provision & sundry shops, medical goods & toiletries and recreational goods also increased between 6.4% and 8.9%.

On the other hand, retailers of optical goods & books reported a 2.6% decline in sales in July 2011 over July 2010.

Food & Beverage Sales by Sector
Month-on-Month Change
After seasonal adjustment, receipts of restaurants and food caterers increased 3.3% and 1.9% respectively in July 2011 compared to the previous month. Other eating places (such as cafes and canteens) registered a 0.6% increase over the same period.

In comparison, turnover of fast food outlets decreased 0.5% in July 2011 over June 2011.

Year-on-Year Change
All major segments reported higher turnover in July 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. Turnover of fast food outlets, food caterers and other eating places went up between 10.3% and 11.9%, while receipts of restaurants increased 8.6% in July 2011 over July 2010.