Singapore retail sales jumped by 12.1 per cent in April, faster than the growth of 8.8 per cent in the month before, with uplift from tourists' return as international borders reopened.

On a seasonally adjusted, monthly basis, sales were up by 1.2 per cent to S$3.7 billion, the Department of Statistics (SingStat) said on Friday (Jun 3). Online retail made up 12.5 per cent.

Excluding big-ticket motor vehicles sales, retail receipts were up 17.4 per cent year on year in April, and up by 1.7 per cent month on month on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Revenue rose across almost all categories, with SingStat noting "higher demand for bags and footwear, partly boosted by higher tourist spending with the easing of border restrictions":

• Department stores (17 per cent)

• Supermarkets and hypermarkets (9.3 per cent)

• Food and alcohol (21.5 per cent)

• Petrol service stations (23.9 per cent)

• Cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods (25.4 per cent)

• Wearing apparel and footwear (26.2 per cent)

• Furniture and household equipment (15.2 per cent)

• Watches and jewellery (16.3 per cent)

• Computer and telecommunications equipment (25.4 per cent)

Falls were registered in the remaining categories:

• Mini-marts and convenience stores (-6 per cent)

• Motor vehicles (-14.1 per cent)

• Recreational goods (-1.8 per cent)

• Optical goods and books (-8.2 per cent)

• Others (-1.5 per cent)

On a seasonally adjusted, month-on-month basis, the clothes and shoes, food and alcohol and department store segments saw marked double-digit growth, while sales of cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods and computer and telecom gear, among other categories, declined.

Food and beverage services saw sales grow by 11.4 per cent year on year, which SingStat attributed to stricter capacity restrictions on dine-in services in the year-ago period.

On a monthly, seasonally adjusted basis, takings improved by 5.2 per cent to S$815 million.

The year-on-year growth was seen across all segments of the industry:

• Restaurants (17.2 per cent)

• Fast food outlets (3.3 per cent)

• Caterers (77.7 per cent)

• Cafes, food courts and other eating places (3.3 per cent)