New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the volume of retail sales rose by 0.9% in December compared with November on a seasonally adjusted basis.
On an annual basis, the CSO said that retail sales were 3.9% higher than in December 2022.
When motor trades are excluded, the volume of retail sales increased by 0.3% in the month and rose by 1.8% in the year when compared with December the previous year.
Today's figures show that the highest monthly volume increases were recorded in motor trades sales, which rose by 5.2%, while other retail sales - which includes the likes of carpets, music, games and toys, flowers, plants, seeds, fertilisers, pet food and jewellery - were up 2.7%. Clothing, footwear and textiles sales grew by 2.1% while sales in Department Stores were up 1.9%.
But monthly sales of books, newspapers and stationery fell by 2.8%, while food, beverages and tobacco sales in specialised stores slowed by 1.4% and furniture and lighting sales eased by 0.8%.
On an annual basis, the CSO said the largest annual volume growth in December was seen in motor trades, which jumped by 12.9%, while other retail sales were up 12.3% and furniture and Lighting sales increased by 10.5%.
Meanwhile, sales of books, newspapers and stationery were down by 8.9% compared to the same month in 2022, while department stores decreased by 8.2%. Annual sales of food, beverages and tobacco in Specialised Stores eased by 6% and clothing, footwear and textiles were down 0.7%.
Today's CSO figures also show that the value of retail sales was 2.1% higher in December than in November and was up by 6.9% when compared with a year earlier.
They also reveal that the proportion of retail sales transacted online - from Irish registered companies - was 5.8% in December. This compared with 5.7% in November 2023 and 6.3% in December 2022.
"These positive movements align with what we're seeing on the ground here at Blanchardstown," said Bernard Nulty, Director, Falcon AM, the asset manager for the Blanchardstown Centre in Dublin.
"Christmas trading and footfall was robust, despite cost of living pressures – driven by gift-buying, grocery shopping, festive socialising, in-centre experiences and promotions."
"Footfall for 2023 as a whole was the highest in the centre’s history at 17 million, up 6.25% on pre-Covid highs. Full year like-for-like sales were also strong – sitting 3.2% up on 2022 and 8% up on 2019. It feels as though physical retail has really regained its purpose following the disruption of the last few years and we’re optimistic about the months ahead."
