F&B services sales down 5.9% YoY in July

This is due to stricter dining-in restrictions during the month.

Sales of food and beverage (F&B) services fell 5.9% year-on-year (YoY) in July 2021 from a 7.6% increase in June due to the implementation of stricter dine-in restrictions in July, according to the Department of Statistics.

Dining-in for groups of two or five persons was allowed from 1 to 21 July but was suspended starting 22 July. Dining-in for a group of up to five was allowed the entire July 2020.

Total sales value for F&B in July was at S$630m, 41.5% of which were online sales, lower than 47.9% recorded the previous month. F&B sales are still below pre-COVID levels, it said.

Restaurants declined 21.6% YoY in July due to the stricter dine-in restrictions, whilst the food caterers industry dropped 45.8% compared to the same period last year when there was a higher demand for catered meals from foreign workers dormitories.

Fast food outlets rose 18.7% YoY, and cafes, food courts, and other eating places increased 6.6% YoY due to higher demand for food deliveries.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales of F&B services rose 12.9% in July compared to the previous month due to the lower base in June 2021 when dining was allowed for groups of two for 10 days.

Seasonally adjusted month-on-month (MoM) sales in July on the F&B industries grew, with restaurants leading at a 35.7% increase due to the lower base in June when only groups of two were allowed for dine-in for 10 days. Food caterers rose 1.2% MoM, fast food outlets increased 1.4%, whilst cafes, food courts, and other eating places climb 7.2% in July compared to June.