What: Singapore’s June retail sales accelerated, led by recreational goods, watches and jewellery, while department stores and F&B services weakened.

Why it is important: This performance reinforces Singapore’s retail resilience, while recent notionnews coverage shows that growth remains increasingly shaped by digital adoption and uneven category demand.

Singapore’s retail sales growth accelerated in June, with most sectors recording improvements and discretionary categories leading the market. Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, retail sales rose 4.1% year-on-year, up from 3.6% in May. Total retail sales value was estimated at SG$3.5 billion, with online channels accounting for 19.5% of the total. On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales edged up 0.2% from May.
Recreational goods posted the strongest performance, rising 11.4%, followed by watches and jewellery, which grew 10.5%. The gains were mainly driven by higher sales of sporting goods and jewellery. Computer and telecommunications, cosmetics, supermarkets, and petrol service stations also recorded solid increases. However, the recovery remained uneven. Department stores saw the steepest decline, falling 9.5%, while apparel and footwear, food and alcohol, and convenience stores also weakened. Food and beverage services declined 2.3% to SG$1.5 billion, reversing May’s modest growth and highlighting continued pressure on dining-related spending.

IADS Notes: As reported by Inside Retail in July 2026, Singapore’s May retail sales were supported by recreational goods, watches and jewellery, and online channels, while department stores declined and F&B remained flat. Inside Retail’s June 2026 coverage showed that retail growth had already strengthened in April, helped by category-specific gains and price effects, while its May 2026 report described continued March momentum supported by digital transformation and stronger performance in selected categories. Earlier, Inside Retail in January 2026 reported a 5.8% November sales jump, with online channels nearing 20% of total sales and discretionary categories performing strongly. Inside Retail’s December 2025 article on jewellery-led growth further confirms that watches and jewellery have been a recurring driver of Singapore’s retail resilience.

Sporting goods, jewellery lead Singapore retail sales growth in June