Retail sales fell by 1.9 per cent in March compared to February as strict lockdown restrictions continued to dampen consumer activity.
This follows an increase of 18.3 per cent in February and a decline of 20.7 per cent in January.
On an annual basis, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said retail volumes were 8.5 per cent higher in March 2021 compared to March 2020. The figures show sales increased in nine business categories in March.
The largest monthly increases were in books, newspapers and stationery (+19.6 per cent ), department stores (+17.1 per cent ), hardware, paints and glass (+9.4 per cent ) and clothing, footwear and textiles (+7.7 per cent)
Sales of electrical goods, however, fell by 17.8 per cent. There were also declines in motor trades (-8.5 per cent ), bars (-1.6 per cent ) and food, beverages and tobacco (-1.3 per cent).
Compared to 12 months ago, the sectors with the largest decreases in volume were bars (-81.3 per cent), clothing, footwear and textiles (-27.4 per cent) and department stores (-20.1 per cent)
Online sales
The CSO numbers do not cover the level of online retail activity related to non-Irish registered companies.
The proportion of retail sales transacted online, from Irish registered companies, was steady at 11.5 per cent in March.
Almost two-thirds of clothing, footwear and textiles (64 per cent), close to one third of department store sales (29.2 per cent) and more than one fifth of electrical goods (21.4 per cent) were transacted online.
