Spending continued to rise in February

Consumer spending continued to rise in February (when measured on a year-on-year basis) with retail sales volumes up by 5% compared with the same month last year.

The figure, published yesterday by the CSO, follows on from an 8.5% year-on-year jump in sales volumes noted in January, which qualified as the largest annualised volume increase in almost a decade.

February’s annualised rise was shortened to 2.3% when motor sales are excluded. In value terms, February saw a year-on-year increase of 2.9%.