Singapore retail sales rise 1.4% in May with vehicle boost

Whilst this marked an improvement from April’s modest 0.2% growth, driven by the motor vehicle segment.

Singapore’s retail sales rose by 1.4% in May 2025 compared to a year ago, reaching a total of $4.2b, according to the Department of Statistics.

Whilst this marked an improvement from April’s modest 0.2% growth, much of the increase was driven by the motor vehicle segment, which surged 10.4% YoY. Excluding vehicle sales, retail growth was flat.

Month-on-month, seasonally adjusted figures showed a 1.0% rise in overall retail sales. However, sales excluding motor vehicles declined by 0.6%. Vehicle purchases were likely buoyed by a larger Certificate of Entitlement (COE) quota, which lifted showroom activity and transaction volumes.

Beyond automobiles, only a few retail categories posted meaningful year-on-year gains. Sales of computer and telecommunications equipment rose by 9.2%, whilst supermarkets and hypermarkets grew 7.2%.

Recreational goods and optical goods & books also recorded solid increases, up 7.0% and 4.5% respectively.

On the downside, petrol service stations saw sales plummet 9.4%. The fashion and department store sectors also struggled, with wearing apparel and footwear dropping 5.3% and department stores down 3.9%.

Food and alcohol retailers fell 4.5%, whilst the once-booming watches and jewellery category saw a 2.1% YoY decline and an 11.5% plunge from April.

Online sales remained a key part of the retail landscape, making up 12.3% of total retail sales in May. Although slightly lower than April’s 12.7%, digital sales remained dominant in several sectors.

More than half (50.4%) of sales in computer and telecommunications equipment were made online, along with 30.0% of furniture and household goods, and 11.9% of supermarket and hypermarket purchases.