The volume of retail sales was down 1 per cent in November compared to the same period a year earlier, mainly due to a fall in motor trades, the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows.
Retail sales were up by 0.5 per cent compared with October, while, when motor trades are excluded, monthly volumes were up by 0.7 per cent in the month and by 0.5 per cent in the year.
An annual volume decline of 8.7 per cent was recorded in motor trades, while there were also declines in bars (1.3 per cent); books, newspapers and stationery (1.3 per cent); and pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic articles (1.3 per cent).
Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in the month were department stores, which was up 10 per cent, as well as other retail sales (7.5 per cent); furniture and lighting (5.6 per cent); and food, beverages and tobacco (4.6 per cent).
EY Ireland consulting partner and consumer sector lead Colette Devey said the data indicated “savvy Irish shoppers looking to take early advantage of promotional deals of festive food products”.
“Sectors such as grocery and electronics performed above expectations,” she said. “Of these, take-home grocery performed especially well, with retailers buoyed by increases in sales of promotional items and own label products.”
Looking ahead to 2025, she said cost pressures, “including the scheduled increase in the minimum wage”, will “continue to create cost challenges” for retailers, alongside “disruptive threats including changing consumer behaviour and the race to embrace emerging tech”.
In terms of monthly changes in retail sales, there were volume increases in other retail sales (3.3 per cent); non-specialised stores, including supermarkets (2.5 per cent); bars (1.4 per cent); electrical goods (1.3 per cent); and motor trades (0.1 per cent).
On the down side, the largest monthly volume decreases were recorded in books, newspapers and stationery, which were down 3.7 per cent.
Elsewhere, there were also falls in sales of clothing, footwear and textiles (1.6 per cent); pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic articles (1.2 per cent); and hardware, paints and glass (1.2 per cent).
The value of retail sales was 0.3 per cent higher in November than in October and was down by 1.5 per cent when compared with November 2023.
Excluding motor trades, the value of retail sales rose by 0.8 per cent in the month and was up by 0.2 per cent on an annual basis.
The proportion of retail sales transacted online from Irish registered companies was 5.9 per cent in November, up from 5 per cent in October. This compared with 5.7 per cent in November 2023.
Excluding motor trades, the proportion of retail sales transacted online was 7.7 per cent in November compared with 6.8 per cent in October, while it was up from 7.4 per cent a year earlier.
- Sign up for the Business Today newsletter and get the latest business news and commentary in your inbox every weekday morning
- Opt in to Business push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Our Inside Business podcast is published weekly – Find the latest episode here
