Retail sales in Singapore decreased 1.4 percent in January compared to December 2012. However, compared to January 2012, retail sales declined 2 percent.
Data released by the Singapore’s Department of Statistics showed that sales of food and beverage services increased 1.1 percent in January, compared to the previous month, but compared to January 2012, sales decreased 4.9 percent.
Comparing January 2013 to January 2012, retail sales of food and beverages decreased 24.3 percent. The government agency said the lower sales was partly due to the higher base in January 2012 during which the Chinese New Year holiday was celebrated. This year, the Chinese New Year celebration fell in February.
Retail sales of department stores, supermarkets, wearing apparel and footwear, recreational goods, telecommunications apparatus and computers, watchers and jewelry and provisions and sundry shops also registered declines of between 3.2 percent and 9.2 percent.
In contrast, retailers of motor vehicles and furniture and household equipment recorded an increase in sales of 10.5 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively in January 2013 over January 2012