Retail sales in Indonesia grew by 2.9 percent year-on-year in May 2022, slowing from a 8.5 percent rise a month earlier. The latest print represented the softest gain in retail trade since a decline in September 2021, amid moderation in sales of both fuels (39.3% vs 39.6% in April), and food beverages & tobacco (7.8% vs 12.9%). At the same time, there was a plunge in sales of clothing (-13.7% vs 26.9%), amid declines in sales of automotive parts & accessories (-1.3% vs 1.6%), home appliances (-24.7% vs -21.0%), and information & communication(vs -12.8% vs -8.8%). By contrast, cultural & recreational goods grew by 9.6 percent, sharply picking up from a flat reading in April. On a monthly basis, retail sales declined by 2.1 percent in May, the first drop in three months, after a 16.5 percent surge in April which was the steepest increase in a year.
