Irish retailers hardest hit in Europe by Covid restrictions, study shows

Shuttered shops on Dublin's Grafton Street due to Covid restrictions. File Picture

There are renewed calls for an early re-opening of non-essential shops on the back of new data showing Ireland has suffered a heavier fall in retail customer footfall than anywhere else in Europe, due to the country’s stricter Covid lockdown restrictions.

The research from Ibec group Retail Ireland excludes essential retail such as supermarkets and pharmacies, but shows consumers had begun to adjust their shopping behaviour long before the current lockdown restrictions came into place late last month.