Retail sales in Singapore experienced a slight decline of 0.4% in January 2026 compared to the same month last year, according to the latest figures from the Retail Sales Index. The drop follows a 2.5% increase in December 2025. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales fell by 2.8%. The decline is partly attributed to the timing of Chinese New Year, which was celebrated in February this year as opposed to January last year. However, on a month-on-month basis, seasonally adjusted retail sales rose by 6.1%, with a 7.1% increase when excluding motor vehicles.
The total retail sales value for January 2026 was estimated at $4.6 billion, with online sales accounting for 14.4% of this figure. Notably, the Computer & Telecommunications Equipment sector saw 56.5% of its sales conducted online.
In the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector, sales dropped by 3.4% year-on-year, following a 0.3% decrease in December 2025. The shift in Chinese New Year celebrations also impacted this sector. Seasonally adjusted, F&B sales rose by 1.8% from the previous month. The total sales value for F&B services was approximately $1.6 billion, with online sales making up 22.1%.
Within the retail sector, the Wearing Apparel & Footwear industry saw a significant year-on-year decline of 12.9%, whilst Recreational Goods and Motor Vehicles recorded growths of 19.6% and 15.6%, respectively. In the F&B sector, Restaurants experienced a 9.3% drop in sales, whereas Cafes and Food Caterers saw increases of 9.3% and 3.1%, respectively.
These indices provide a snapshot of the economic activity in Singapore’s retail and F&B sectors, reflecting changes in consumer behaviour and market conditions.
