Retail sales up slightly but shoppers still being cautious

BAR sales jumped last month as did hardware and clothes sales but shoppers remain cautious about splashing their cash.

Overall the volume of retail sales were up by 2% in October compared with the same month last year. This is the largest annual rate of increase since May, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Helped by a 3.3% monthly increase in motor trades, total retail sales volumes rose by 0.5% month on month in October.