Monthly retail sales up 3.8% despite rising cost of living

The figures revealed a significant increase in sales for several sectors compared to April last year when non-essential retail and services were closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The rise in retail sales comes despite high levels of consumer inflation. Picture: Stephen Collins

The volume of retail sales rose by 3.8% in the month of April on a monthly basis and 6.1% annually, new figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show. 

The figures revealed a significant increase in sales for a number of sectors compared to April last year when non-essential retail and services were closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The rise in retail sales comes despite high levels of consumer inflation.

Sales in bars rose by 531% compared with April 2021 when bars were closed with the exception of ancillary services.  However, bar sales still remain 24.4% lower compared to their pre-Covid-19 level in February 2020.

Several sectors saw increases in their monthly sales volume, with motor sales experiencing the biggest increase of 33.1%. Elsewhere, sales of clothing and footwear increased by 13.6% on a monthly basis.

However, a number of areas saw a decline in sales, with large volume decreases in department stores, down 42.5% compared to March 2022 and furniture and lighting, which was down 8.8% compared to last year.

Volume of Retail Sales up 3.8% in April 2022https://t.co/Ci59bMSJna #CSOIreland #Ireland #RetailSales #Services #Retail #Business #BusinessStatistics #IrishBusiness pic.twitter.com/estHRYNZFr

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) May 30, 2022

The value of sales in the fuel sector rose by 30.4% in the year to April 2022. However, the volume rose by just 2.9% over the same period, demonstrating the significantly increased prices compared to the previous year.

Figures from the CSO also revealed that compared to pre-Covid sales levels in February 2020, the volume of retail sales in April 2022 was 9.7% higher. 

The largest decreases in the volume of sales in April 2022 when compared to pre-Covid levels were found in department stores, down 40.9%, as well as the books, newspapers and stationery sector, which was down 27.5%.

The proportion of retail sales carried out online (from Irish registered companies) was 4.8% in April 2022 a slight decline from 5.0% in March 2022 and a significant drop from 10.1% of sales in April 2021 and 15.3% in April 2020. These figures do not include the fraction of Irish retail sales being transacted online with non-Irish registered companies.