Retail sales volumes for pharmaceuticals falls while they rise for clothing

Volume of retail sales for January improve on pre-pandemic levels but fall below December 2021 volumes

Clothing and footwear increased sales volumes by 31% while electrical goods rose by 15%.

The volume of retail sales decreased 1.5% in January 2022, compared with December 2021, showed recent statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The biggest decrease in sales volumes was recorded in pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic products which is down by 15%. Hardware, paints and glass also fell by 14%.

However, clothing and footwear increased sales volumes by 31% while electrical goods rose by 15%. These were the largest monthly increases in volume.

“A number of sectors showed a very large annual increase in the volume of sales, compared with January 2021 when a full lockdown of non-essential retail and services was in force,” said statistician Stephanie Kelleher.

The sector with the highest annual volume increase was bars which soared by 499%. Yet, this isn’t down to a newfound popularity in pubs as this figure is compared with a low base from a year ago when Ireland was still using strict Covid-19 measures. Bars were 42% lower than pre-Covid-19 levels in January 2020.

Volume of retail sales is 1.5% higher in January 2022 than pre-Covid-19 levels in January 2020. The proportion of retail sales transacted online from Irish registered companies was 6% last month compared to 10% in December 2021, 11% in January 2021 and 3% in January 2020.

In relation to retail sales, the impact of price change is reflected in the difference between value and volume.

“In fuel for example, the value of sales rose by 52% in the year to January 2022 while the volume rose by 24% over the same period, the difference due to higher prices compared to the previous year,” said Kelleher.