Retail sales fell by 0.1% on a monthly basis in August, the fourth monthly drop in a row, to stand 3.6% higher than a year ago, new Central Statistics Office figures show today.
Excluding volatile car sales, retail sales volumes were 2.3% higher on the month and up 1% year-on-year on a seasonally adjusted basis, the CSO said.
Today's figures show that monthly volume decreases were recorded in Other Retail Sales, which fell by 2.8%, while car sales slowed by 0.6%, Furniture & Lighting sales were down 0.5% and sales of Books, Newspapers & Stationery decreased by 0.3%.
They also reveal that the biggest monthly volume increases were seen in the sale of Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles, which jumped by 8.4%, while Department Stores sales were up 4%, Clothing, Footwear & Textiles sales increased by 3.3%, and Fuel sales grew by 2.9%.
On an annual basis, today's CSO figures show that Motor Trades were up 10.9% in August, while Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles sales increased by 7.6% and Other Retail Sales grew by 6%.
Meanwhile Fuel sales were up 4.9%, while Furniture & Lighting sales rose by 4.4% and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles sales gained 3.1%, the CSO added.
The largest annual volume declines in August were seen in Bars, with sales there dropping by 6.7%, while Food, Beverages & Tobacco in Specialised Stores slowed by 6.2%.
Sales of Hardware, Paints & Glass fell by 2.6%, while Department Stores sales were down 2.5% and sales of Books, Newspapers & Stationery decreased by 2.2% in August of this year compared to the same month last year, the CSO added.
Today's figures also show that the proportion of Retail Sales transacted online - from Irish registered companies - eased to 4.4% in August compared with 4.8% in July and 4.8% in August 2022.
