New car buys boost retail sales to 10-year high

Car sales, boosted by the recent introduction of the ‘152’ registration plates, drove retail sales volumes up nearly 12% last month reaching a 10-year high in the process.

Latest data, published yesterday, by the CSO shows consumer spending volumes soared 11.6% in July and by 9.9% yearly.

If motor sales are excluded from the equation, July saw a monthly rise of 0.6% in sales volume and of 6.6% annually.