December retail sales show impact of rising prices on Christmas spending

On an annual basis, retail sales increased by 3.9% while in terms of value, rose by almost 7%

Seasonally-adjusted retail sales in December rose by 0.9% from November, however, once motor sales were excluded, that figure dropped to a meagre 0.3%. Pic Larry Cummins

Motor sales surged in December compared to a year earlier, while activity across several retail outlets, including Department Stores, fell dramatically as prices continued to hit household spending over the Christmas period. 

New Central Statistics Office figures show that retail sales in volume terms rose by 3.9% in December compared to the same month last year, but we were up by just 1.8% when sales of motor vehicles were excluded.