SINGAPORE - Retail sales in Singapore rose 2.2 per cent in October from a year ago, still mainly driven up by cars, according to figures released by the Department of Statistics on Thursday (Dec 15).

Excluding vehicle sales, takings at the tills fell again, dipping 0.3 per cent year on year. But this can be considered an improvement when compared with September when sales, not counting vehicles, fell 1.8 per cent. Total retail sales in September was also up 2.2 per cent year on year.

Compared with September, October retail sales climbed 1.7 per cent. Excluding motor vehicles, they increased 1.5 per cent.

The total retail sales value in October was estimated at S$3.7 billion, higher than the S$3.6 billion a year ago.

Vehicle sales rose 14.5 per cent from the previous year, the largest of all the segments. Department stores, supermarkets, food & beverage, petrol service stations, medical goods and toiletries, recreational goods and watches & jewellery saw modest growth, with sales increasing by 0.3 per cent to 5.6 per cent.

Mini-marts & convenience stores saw no growth in revenue, while computer and telecommunications equipment continued to see the largest fall in sales across the segments, dropping 8.1 per cent from the previous year.