Irish retailers maintain gross profit margins despite slowdown in sales

IRISH retailers are continuing to maintain gross profit margins despite a slowdown in sales volume growth, figures released by the Central Statistics Office yesterday reveal.

With inflation running at 2.2%, retailers have so far this year managed to push the value of sales up by 3.6% despite a growth of just 1.1% in sales volumes for the year to September, for all businesses excluding the motor trade.

Car sales fell by 5.8% in volume terms but by a more modest 4.1% in value terms.