Singapore retail sales up 5.4% in April as consumer spending momentum picks up

Total retail sales for April were estimated at $4.3b.

Retail sales in Singapore increased 5.4% year-on-year in April 2026, up from 4.6% in March, according to the Department of Statistics.

Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, sales increased 4.5%, accelerating from 3.0% in the previous month.

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales edged up 0.3% in April compared with March. Excluding motor-related categories, sales rose slightly faster at 0.4%.

Total retail sales for April were estimated at $4.3b. Online retail accounted for 15.4% of total sales, down marginally from 15.6% in March. Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, total retail sales were about $3.6b, with online sales making up 18.2%.

Online channels continued to dominate across key segments, accounting for 58.8% of computer and telecommunications equipment sales, 33.1% of furniture and household equipment sales, and 13% of supermarkets and hypermarkets sales.

Most retail industries recorded year-on-year growth in April, with gains led by petrol service stations, which rose 14.4% mainly due to higher fuel prices, followed by recreational goods at 12.3% and motor vehicles, parts and accessories at 10.7%.

In contrast, department stores declined by 1.1%, whilst food & alcohol retailers edged down slightly by 0.1%.

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, most industries posted increases, with food & alcohol rising 7.1%, petrol service stations up 7%, and optical goods and books increasing 5.5%.

However, some categories recorded declines, including computer and telecommunications equipment, which fell 5.1%, and watches and jewellery, which dropped 2.6%.