BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: In the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, retail sales recorded a decrease of 2.3 per cent compared to Q3 2024, with sales revenue decreasing from BND392.8 million to BND384.0 million, according to a report from the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS), Ministry of Finance and Economy.
The decrease was mainly attributed to lower sales in several activities, namely department stores by 6.3 per cent, supermarkets by 5.7 per cent, and computer and telecommunications equipment by 6.9 per cent.
In terms of volume, retail sales activity also recorded a negative growth of 2.7 per cent compared to Q3 2024.
For the sales of food and beverages services sector, both the sales value and volume recorded a decrease compared to Q3 2024.
The sales value decreased by 0.7 per cent, with revenue declining from BND112.2 million to BND111.3 million.
The decrease was attributed to lower sales in restaurants by 2.4 per cent, beverage serving activities by 4.3 per cent, and other food services activities such as food courts and food kiosks by 0.2 per cent.
In terms of volume, food and beverages services also recorded a negative growth of 1.0 per cent compared to Q3 2024.
Retail Sales Index (RSI) and Food & Beverages Services Index (F&BSI) are preliminary indicators of economic performance for both activities and provide an outlook for consumer spending trends in Brunei Darussalam on a quarterly basis.
The full reports are available at the DEPS website. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
