Volume of retail sales up by 1.1% in December

Excluding motor trades, the monthly volume of retail sales was up by just 0.3% in the final month of 2024

The largest monthly volume decreases were in fuel which fell by 3%, other retail sales which dropped by 2% and furniture and lighting, down 1.2%.

The volume of retail sales rose marginally in December, largely underpinned by a rise in motor trades in the final month of 2024.

New figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Tuesday show the peak Christmas period did little to significantly increase sales, with monthly figures showing just a 1.1% rise compared to November 2024.