Growth in retail sales outstripped growth in footfall in a study of a shopping centre portfolio conducted by agents Bannon.

The finding show that while footfall grew by 1.6 per cent in 2015 retail sales were up 8.8 per cent. The strongest quarter was the final three months of 2015 when sales were 11.5 per cent higher than in the same period of 2014.

The study covers an extensive portfolio ranging from large regional shopping centres such as the Pavilions in Swords, Whitewater in Newbridge and Athlone Towncentre to smaller local shopping facilities such as those in Gorey and Tipperary.

Ray Geraghty, associate director of Bannon, noted that all categories of traders had experienced growth but said that the star performers were ladies fashion and jewellery, underscoring the fact that people now had more disposable income.