Ireland retail sales slip in August but still higher annually - CSO

Irish retail sales fell in August from the previous month, dragged down by weaker department store and motor trade activity, though volumes remained higher than a year earlier, data from the Central Statistics Office showed Monday.

The CSO said retail sales volumes fell 1.0% in August from July, reversing a 0.8% rise the previous month. Compared with a year earlier, volumes were up 3.9%.

Excluding motor trades, sales volumes eased 0.3% on the month and grew 2.1% on the year.

On a value basis, which includes price effects, sales were down 0.3% monthly but 4.9% higher annually.

The steepest monthly volume declines were in department stores, down 4.3%, motor trades, down 3.6%, and furniture & lighting, down 3.4%. Gains were recorded in other retail sales, up 1.1%, while pharmaceuticals, medical & cosmetic articles were up 0.3%, and hardware, paints & glass, also up 0.3%.

On an annual basis, the motor trades sector posted the strongest growth, rising 9.8%, followed by hardware, paints & glass, up 7.8%, and other retail sales, up 6.6%. The sharpest declines were in department stores, down 8.7%, food, beverages & tobacco in specialised stores, down 3.3%, and clothing, footwear & textiles, down 3.1%.

Online sales accounted for 5.2% of total turnover in August, unchanged from July but up from 4.7% a year earlier.

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