Singapore retail sales jump 8.3% in February, boosted by Chinese New Year

[SINGAPORE] Retail sales in Singapore surged 8.3 per cent year on year in February, supported by the shift in Chinese New Year timing from January in 2025 to February this year.

This marked a turnaround from the 0.5 per cent decline charted in January 2026, data from the Department of Statistics (Singstat) showed on Monday (Apr 6).

February’s figure far surpassed the median forecast of 3.3 per cent growth in a Bloomberg poll of private-sector economists.

For the two-month period – January to February, retail sales grew 3.5 per cent on the year, Singstat added.

Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, retail sales climbed 11.2 per cent, against January’s 2.9 per cent year-on-year contraction.

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, retail sales fell 4.1 per cent in February, reversing from January’s 6 per cent gain.

Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, retail sales dropped 4.2 per cent in February on a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, against a 7 per cent expansion in the month prior.

Year on year: 8.3 per cent

Year on year, excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories: 11.2 per cent

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Singapore retail sales fall 0.4% in January, hampered by later Chinese New Year timing

Month on month, seasonally adjusted: -4.1 per cent

Total retail sales value: S$4.2 billion

Year on year, sales grew in nine of the 14 categories:

• Department stores: 16.8 per cent
• Supermarkets and hypermarkets: 29.3 per cent
• Food and alcohol: 13.6 per cent
• Cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods: 13 per cent
• Wearing apparel and footwear: 8.8 per cent
• Recreational goods: 26 per cent
• Watches and jewellery: 13.5 per cent
• Computer and telecommunications equipment: 2.5 per cent
• Others: 12.8 per cent

These categories posted a decline:

• Minimarts and convenience stores: -6.1 per cent
• Motor vehicles, parts and accessories: -7.8 per cent
• Petrol service stations: -9.8 per cent
• Furniture and household equipment: -3.5 per cent
• Optical goods and books: -4.3 per cent

Food and beverage services

Year on year: 5.5 per cent

Month on month, seasonally adjusted: 0.9 per cent

• Restaurants: 9.2 per cent
• Fast food outlets: 4.9 per cent
• Food caterers: 12.6 per cent
• Cafes: 0.4 per cent
• Food courts and other eating places: -4.4 per cent