Bar sales leap as restrictions lift but total retail sales fall back in July

Retail sales fell 2.3% by value in July from June figures, according to CSO figures.  Pic; Larry Cummins

The huge uplift in retail sales at shops and online as the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted may be running of steam, despite a large jump in bar sales last month, official figures suggest. 

Retail sales in terms of volume fell 1.7% in July from June and recorded its first month-on-month decline since January, according to CSO figures.