The volume of Retail Sales rose by 2.0% in the month and decreased by 5.6% in the 12 months to August 2022.
The largest monthly volume increases were in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+28.0%), Bars (+7.5%), Fuel (+7.2%), Department Stores (+6.9%) and Other Retail Sales (+6.3%).
Only two sectors, Furniture & Lighting (-1.6%) and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (-0.8%) recorded monthly volume decreases in August 2022.
Bars (+17.7%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+4.2%), and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.0%) were the only sectors that showed an annual increase in the volume of sales in August 2022. However, caution should be exercised when interpreting the increase in Bars, as the comparison is with a low base from a year ago when some restrictions still applied.
The volume of Retail Sales excluding Motor Trades rose by 2.3% in the month and dropped by 2.6% in the year when compared with August 2021.
The volume of Retail Sales in August 2022 was 3.2% higher than February 2020 (pre-COVID-19).
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 4.9% in August 2022 compared with 4.8% in July 2022, 4.8% in August 2021, and 4.5% in August 2020.
The value of Retail Sales in the Fuel sector rose by 20.5% in the year to August 2022 while the corresponding volume fell by 3.5% over the same period, reflecting higher prices compared with the previous year.
| Seasonally Adjusted Retail Sales Index - All Businesses | ||
| (Base Year 2015 = 100) | ||
| Volume Index | Value Index | |
| February 2020 | 121.5 | 112.3 |
| August 2021 | 132.9 | 125.3 |
| July 2022 | 123.0 | 124.1 |
| August 2022 | 125.5 | 129.6 |
| % change | ||
| Monthly | 2.0% | 4.4% |
| Annual | -5.6% | 3.4% |
| February 2020 - August 2022 | 3.2% | 15.4% |
In August 2022 the volume of Retail Sales for all businesses was up 2.0% in the month and fell by 5.6% in the year. Excluding motor trades there was a monthly volume increase of 2.3% in August 2022, while on an annual basis, retail volumes were 2.6% lower.
In August 2022, the largest monthly volume increase was in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+28.0%), while there were monthly decreases in Furniture & Lighting (-1.6%) and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (-0.8%).
| X-axis label | Monthly percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 2 |
| Motor Trades | 3.1 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | -0.8 |
| Department Stores | 6.9 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 1.5 |
| Fuel | 7.2 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 1.3 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 0.1 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -1.6 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 2.8 |
| Electrical Goods | 2.1 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 28 |
| Other Retail Sales | 6.3 |
| Bars | 7.5 |
In August 2022, annual volume increases were recorded in Bars (+17.7%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+4.2%) and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.0%). The largest annual decreases were in Other Retail Sales (-15.9%), Motor Trades (-12.2%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-7.0%).
| X-axis label | Annual percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | -5.6 |
| Motor Trades | -12.2 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | -3.8 |
| Department Stores | -1.6 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | -7 |
| Fuel | -3.5 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 4.2 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 2 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -6.3 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | -0.2 |
| Electrical Goods | -2.2 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | -4.5 |
| Other Retail Sales | -15.9 |
| Bars | 17.7 |
Compared with February 2020 (30 months earlier and pre-COVID-19), the highest increases in the volume of Retail Sales in August 2022 were seen in Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+23.7%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+23.0%), and Hardware, Paints & Glass (+16.3%). The largest volume decreases during the same period occurred in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-19.4%) and Bars (-15.3%).
| X-axis label | February 2020 - August 2022 |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 0 |
| Motor Trades | -1.8 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 4.3 |
| Department Stores | 9.2 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 8 |
| Fuel | -3.8 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 23 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 23.7 |
| Furniture & Lighting | 4.5 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 16.3 |
| Electrical Goods | 11.6 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | -19.4 |
| Other Retail Sales | -5.4 |
| Bars | -15.3 |
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 4.9% in August 2022 compared with 4.8% in July 2022, 4.8% in August 2021 and 4.5% in August 2020. Excluding Motor Trades, the proportion of Retail Sales transacted online in August 2022 was 6.6%.
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Statistician's Comment
Commenting on the release, Stephanie Kelleher, Statistician in the Business Statistics Division, said: "Retail Sales rose by 2.0% in August 2022 when compared with July 2022 on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 5.6% lower than in August 2021. (See Headline Table and Figure 1)
Monthly Changes
In August 2022, the largest monthly volume increase in sales was recorded in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+28.0%). Bars (+7.5%), Fuel (+7.2%), Department Stores (+6.9%), and Other Retail Sales (+6.3%) also showed large increases in the month. The only monthly volume decreases were in Furniture & Lighting (-1.6%) and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (-0.8%). (See Table 3)
Annual Changes
Three sectors showed an annual increase in the volume of sales compared with August 2021. Bars rose by 17.7% compared with August 2021, however despite this large recovery over the previous year, Bar sales remained 15.3% lower than its pre-COVID-19 level in February 2020. Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+4.2%) and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.0%) also showed an annual increase in volume.
The sectors which showed the largest annual reductions in volume were Other Retail Sales (-15.9%), Motor Trades (-12.2%), Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-7.0%), and Furniture & Lighting (-6.3%). (See Tables 3 & 3a)
Pre-COVID-19 Comparisons
Compared with February 2020 (30 months earlier and pre-COVID-19), the volume of All Retail Sales in August 2022 increased by 3.2%. The largest increases in the volume of Retail Sales in August 2022 since pre-COVID-19 were in Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+23.7%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+23.0%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+16.3%), and Electrical Goods (+11.6%).
The largest volume decreases during the same period occurred in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-19.4%) and Bars (-15.3%). (See Table 3a)
Value of Retail Sales
The value of Retail Sales was 4.4% higher in August 2022 than in July 2022 and was 3.4% higher than a year earlier. Excluding Motor Trades, the value of Retail Sales increased by 2.3% in the month and increased by 6.3% on an annual basis. (See Tables 1 & 2)"