Car sales drive 7.9% retailing increase

There is life in the Irish consumer yet according to the latest CSO retail sales figures which recorded a 7.9% jump in sales volume for the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year.

While the figures show an overall increase, a closer analysis reveals a worrying month-on-month decline when car sales are removed, leaving the core consumer spend stagnant.

Goodbody analyst Juliet Tennent said retailers are being forced to offer deals in order to entice consumers into spending.