Retail sales slipped 1.8% to $3.5b in April

Only the apparel & footwear industry was able to post gains after sales rose 3.4%.

Retail sales dipped 1.8% YoY in April to about $3.5b, of which online retail sales made up an estimated 5.4%, data from the Department of Statistics Singapore (SingStat) revealed.

Most retail industries recorded lower sales in April led by computer & telecommunications equipment, and furniture & household equipment industries which registered sales declines of 6.7% and 6.5% respectively, due partly to lower sales of mobile phones and furniture.

Similarly, sales of food retailers, the optical goods & books industries and department stores decreased between 3.1% and 3.5% compared to April 2018.

The wearing apparel & footwear industry was the only segment which witnessed a YoY sales growth of 3.4%, due partly to higher demand for bags & footwear.

Meanwhile, sales of food and beverage (F&B) services rose 3.1% YoY to $826m, compared to the $801m reported in 2018. Fast food outlets, food caterers and other eating places such as cafes, registered growth in turnover of between 3.6% and 8.2% YoY in April. Sales of restaurants increased a marginal 0.1% during the same period.

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia