Back to school season gives boost to September retail sales 

Increases in books and electrical goods offset falling demand for pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic products 

On an annual basis, the volume of books, newspapers and stationery grew by 8.7% in September, followed by clothing and footwear which increased by 8%. 

Back to school spending in September has helped boost the volume of retail sales following an unexpected decline during the summer months. 

New figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Tuesday found that the volume of retail sales increased by 0.5% in September, underpinned by a rise in demand for school books and electronics.