(RTTNews) – Singapore’s monthly retail expansion slowed in July, but remained in double digits, while sales continued to fall on an annual basis as the effect of the coronavirus pandemic continued.
Retail sales increased by 27. 4% year-on-month in July, according to Statistics Singapore’s initial knowledge on Friday.
The statistics office attributed the monthly expansion to a weaker base in June 2020, when the maximum number of physical outlets was closed until June 18.
The strong expansion observed in June was revised to 50. 7% from 51. 1%.
On an annual basis, retail sales fell by 8. 5% in July after a 27. 7% drop in June, which was 27. 8%.
Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales fell by 7. 7% year-on-year after a 24% decline last month. Compared to last month, retail sales rose by 19. 5%.
Sales in branches, since the sales of clothing and footwear and watches and jewelery registered annual drops of between 21. 0% and 32. 1% in July, as they continued to be affected by the low arrival of tourists due to the global epidemic of COVID -19, the firm said.
At the same time, sales in the supermarkets and hypermarkets and computers and telecommunications devices increased by 28. 6% and 27. 4% respectively, due to higher demand for groceries such as computers and cell phones.
Online retail sales accounted for 11% of the total retail price in July, largely driven by the call for PC and telecommunications appliances, furniture and appliances, and supermarkets and hypermarkets.