Singapore’s retail sales grew at a slower pace in April 2012 than the previous month, according to the data released by the Department of Statistics.

Retail sales were up 2.2% year-on-year in April, sharply slower than the 8.9% growth registered in March.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail trade sales increased 2.9% in April from the same month a year earlier.

Sales of food and beverages advanced 4.2% in the month, while apparel and footwear sales moved up 1.6%.

Furniture and household equipment sales grew 1.9% and sales of medical goods & toiletries jumped 9.8% in April, on an annual basis.

Year-on-year, sales of watches and jewelry were up 3.7% during the month, while recreational goods sales rose just 0.8%.

Telecommunications apparatus & computers sales advanced 9.4% and sales at provision and sundry shops rose 2.3% year-on-year in April.

Sales at department stores and supermarkets increased 0.2% and 6.4%, respectively, in April from the same month a year ago.

Petrol service stations sales grew 5.2% and sales at other retailers were up 2.3% year-on-year in April.

Motor vehicles sales declined 0.2%, while sales of optical goods & books decreased 6.2% in the month on an annual basis.

Month-on-month, seasonally adjusted retail sales decreased 0.9% in April, but excluding motor vehicles, sales went up 0.8%.

Sales of food & beverage services, on a seasonally adjusted basis, declined 1.9% in April, when compared to the previous month.

After seasonal adjustment, retailers of motor vehicles and furniture & household equipment recorded fall in sales of 6.3% and 3.2% respectively in April from March.

Retail sales of provision & sundry shops, department stores, optical goods & books and petrol service stations also declined between 0.8% and 1.5% compared to the previous month.

Sales of recreational goods, telecommunications apparatus & computers and medical goods & toiletries increased 5.7%, 4.9% and 4.5% respectively in April.

Food & beverages, watches & jewellery, supermarkets and wearing apparel & footwear sales were up by 3.5%, 3.1%, 1.1% and 0.9% respectively in the month.