Retail Excellence come through '14th consecutive' quarter of declining sales

New figures have brought fresh evidence of the pressures facing Ireland's retailers.

Retail Excellence Ireland says they have just come through the 14th consecutive quarter of declining sales.

The worst affected sector was IT and computing, which suffered a drop of nearly 20% between June and September compared to the same time last year.

Speculation about what the budget will bring meant September figures were hardest hit - down 1.48% on the same month last year.

However there was some good news for electronics retailers, with this week's digital switchover bringing an increase in TV sales.