In May 2024, the volume of Retail Sales decreased by 0.6% in the month and was down by 1.0% in the 12 months from May 2023.
Excluding Motor Trades, the monthly volume of Retail Sales was down by 0.3% in May 2024 and fell by 0.5% in the year when compared with May 2023.
The value of Retail Sales fell by 2.0% in the month and rose by 1.5% in the 12 months to May 2024.
Monthly volume decreases were recorded in Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-6.4%), Motor Trades (-4.5%), Other Retail Sales (-3.8%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-2.4%), Furniture & Lighting (-2.1%), and Electrical Goods (-1.7%).
The largest monthly volume increases were in Bars (+13.8%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+7.0%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.0%), and Department Stores (+2.9%).
The largest annual volume declines in May 2024 were in Other Retail Sales (-6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-5.5%), Department Stores (-4.0%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-3.9%).
Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in May 2024 were Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+8.1%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+4.9%), and Bars (+4.5%).
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 4.9% in May 2024 compared with 5.6% in April 2024 and 5.2% in May 2023.
The May 2024 (Provisional) period covers the four weeks from 05/05/24 to 01/06/24, while the April 2024 (Final) period covers the four weeks from 07/04/24 to 04/05/24.
The headline table shows the seasonally adjusted value and volume indices for the Retail Sales Index. It also highlights the monthly and annual percentage changes in both value and volume. Value represents turnover or total expenditure whereas volume strips out the impact of price changes to reflect quantity sold.
| Seasonally Adjusted Retail Sales Index - All Businesses | ||
| Base Year 2015 = 100 | ||
| Volume Index | Value Index | |
| May 2023 | 133.3 | 137.9 |
| April 2024 | 132.8 | 142.9 |
| May 2024 | 132.0 | 139.9 |
| % change | ||
| Monthly | -0.6% | -2.0% |
| Annual | -1.0% | 1.5% |
In May 2024, the volume of Retail Sales for All Businesses fell by 0.6% in the month and was down by 1.0% in the year since May 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the volume of Retail Sales was down by 0.3% in the month, while on an annual basis, retail volumes were 0.5% lower.
In May 2024, monthly volume decreases were recorded in Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-6.4%), Motor Trades (-4.5%), Other Retail Sales (-3.8%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-2.4%), Furniture & Lighting (-2.1%), and Electrical Goods (-1.7%). The largest monthly volume increases were in Bars (+13.8%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+7.0%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.0%), and Department Stores (+2.9%).
| X-axis label | Monthly percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | -0.6 |
| Motor Trades | -4.5 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 0.6 |
| Department Stores | 2.9 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 1.3 |
| Fuel | 2.1 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 3 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | -6.4 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -2.1 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | -2.4 |
| Electrical Goods | -1.7 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 7 |
| Other Retail Sales | -3.8 |
| Bars | 13.8 |
The largest annual volume declines in May 2024 were in Other Retail Sales (-6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-5.5%), Department Stores (-4.0%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-3.9%). Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in May 2024 were Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+8.1%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+4.9%), and Bars (+4.5%).
| X-axis label | Annual percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | -1 |
| Motor Trades | -1.3 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 0.2 |
| Department Stores | -4 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | -3.9 |
| Fuel | -2.6 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | -1.4 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 4.9 |
| Furniture & Lighting | 1.2 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | -5.5 |
| Electrical Goods | 0.5 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 8.1 |
| Other Retail Sales | -6.4 |
| Bars | 4.5 |
Table 4 relates to final results for April 2024, while Table 5 presents a rolling three-month provisional average.
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 4.9% in May 2024 and 5.6% in April 2024, compared with 5.2% in May 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the proportion of Retail Sales transacted online was 6.4% in May 2024 and 7.2% in April 2024, compared with 6.7% in May 2023.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 June 2024) released Retail Sales Index May 2024 (Provisional) and April 2024 (Final).
Commenting on the release, Stephanie Kelleher, Statistician in the Enterprise Statistics Division, said: "The volume of Retail Sales fell by 0.6% in May 2024 when compared with April 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 1.0% lower than in May 2023. When Motor Trades are excluded, the volume of Retail Sales decreased by 0.3% in the month and fell by 0.5% in the year when compared with May 2023 (See Headline Table, Tables 1 & 2, and Figure 1).
Monthly Changes
Monthly volume decreases were recorded in Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-6.4%), Motor Trades (-4.5%), Other Retail Sales (-3.8%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-2.4%), Furniture & Lighting (-2.1%), and Electrical Goods (-1.7%).
The largest monthly volume increases were in Bars (+13.8%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+7.0%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.0%), and Department Stores (+2.9%) (See Table 3 and Background Notes).
Annual Changes
The largest annual volume declines in May 2024 were in Other Retail Sales (-6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-5.5%), Department Stores (-4.0%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-3.9%).
Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in May 2024 were Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+8.1%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+4.9%), and Bars (+4.5%) (See Table 3).
Value of Retail Sales
The value of Retail Sales was 2.0% lower in May 2024 than in April 2024 and was up by 1.5% when compared with May 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the value of Retail Sales rose by 0.1% in the month and increased by 1.8% on an annual basis (See Tables 1 & 2)."