Online sales lifted Singapore’s retail sales in August; F&B sales slipped after a gain in July

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s retail sales rose 5.2% year-on-year (YoY) in August 2025 to S$4.3 billion, lifted by stronger online retail sales, which made up 13.1% of the total. However, food and beverage (F&B) sales slipped 0.4%, after a 1.7% gain in July.

According to Singapore Business Review, excluding motor vehicles, retail sales were about S$3.7 billion in August, with online retail sales accounting for 15.3%.

Total online retail sales came from computer and telecommunications equipment (54.5%), furniture and household goods (32.6%), and supermarkets and hyperindustries (11.3%).

While most retail sectors posted year-on-year growth in August, with watches and jewellery sales increasing 11.2%, boosted by higher jewellery sales, recreational goods climbing 9.9%, and motor vehicle sales rising 8.9%, sales from department stores fell 6.5%, and food and alcohol retailers dropped 5.1%.

F&B sales in August were about S$1 billion, with online orders making up 26.3%, close to the 25.9% recorded in July. Restaurants posted a 3.2% decline in sales, while food caterers (4.8%) and fast food (1.6%) outlets saw gains. Meanwhile, sales at cafes, food courts and other eating places were flat during the month.

In July, Knight Frank cautioned in its Q1 2025 Retail Report that the surge of food and beverage (F&B) outlets in Singapore could hurt profitability, waste resources, and even destabilise the retail sector without intervention. This was after the property consultancy said in April that the F&B business boom could do more harm than good in the food business landscape. /TISG

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