The volume of retail sales rose by 0.7% in February and increased by 3.6% in the year beforehand, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The largest monthly volume increases during the period were recorded in bars, up by 4.7%, hardware, paints & glass, up by 2.5%, and motor trades, up by 1.7%.
The data indicated that the highest monthly volume decreases were in furniture & lighting, which fell by 11.4%, and books, newspapers & stationery, which fell by 5.0%.
Annual Volume Increase
The largest annual volume increase was in bars, which went up by 12.8%, however, caution should be exercised with this level of growth, as it is compared to a low base from the previous year, the CSO noted.
According to the report, other sectors to show large annual volume increases were motor trades, which went up by 9.1%, clothing, footwear & textiles, by 6.0%, and fuel, by 4.1%.
Other retail categories, such as department stores, rose by 8.7%, and food, beverages & tobacco (specialised stores) increased by 7.0%, showing the largest annual volume decreases in February 2023.
Value of Retail Sales
The value of retail sales was 1.8% higher in February 2023 than in January 2023, and 11.1% higher than a year earlier.
Excluding motor trades, the value of retail sales rose by 0.9% in the month, and by 7.9% on an annual basis, the research showed.
Read More: Volume Of Retail Sales Decreased By 8.8% Year On Year: CSO
© 2023 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
