Retail Sales in Textiles and Apparel Lead Growth in Q1 2025

Bandar seri begawan: The retail sales index for the first quarter of 2025 reported a 4.4 per cent increase over the previous quarter. The Department of Economic Planning and Statistics under the Ministry of Finance and Economy attributed this positive trend to a rise in sales revenue in several sectors, notably textiles, wearing apparel, and footwear. Other contributing sectors included furniture and household equipment, electrical household appliances and lighting equipment in specialized stores, department store sales, and hardware, paints, and glass in specialized stores.

According to Radio Television Brunei, despite the quarterly increase, a year-on-year analysis reveals a 2 per cent decline in retail sales value compared to the first quarter of 2024, with sales revenue dropping from 446.9 million to 438.1 million. Additionally, retail sales volume showed a negative growth of 2.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis, indicating a decrease in domestic demand.

The food and beverages services sector also experienced a downturn, with both sales value and volume declining compared to the same period in 2024. The Department of Economic Planning and Statistics provides comprehensive reports on these activities, available on their website at ‘deps.mofe.gov.bn’.