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Retail Sales Index December 2024 (Provisional) and November 2024 (Final)

Volume of Retail Sales up 1.1% in December 2024

Online ISSN: 2009-5295
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Key Findings

  • In December 2024, the volume of Retail Sales increased by 1.1% in the month and was up by 0.8% in the 12 months from December 2023.

  • Excluding Motor Trades, the monthly volume of Retail Sales was up by 0.3% in December 2024 and increased by 1.1% in the year when compared with December 2023.

  • The value of Retail Sales rose by 1.1% in the month and was up by 0.3% in the 12 months to December 2024.

  • Sectors showing monthly volume increases were Motor Trades (+6.3%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.9%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+2.1%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+2.0%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+1.7%), and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (+0.6%).

  • The largest monthly volume decreases were recorded in Fuel (-3.0%), Other Retail Sales (-2.0%), Furniture & Lighting (-1.2%), and Bars (-1.1%).

  • Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in December 2024 were Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+8.8%), Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (+6.8%), Department Stores (+6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+3.8%), and Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.5%).

  • Annual volume declines were recorded in Fuel (-7.8%), Bars (-4.6%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-0.3%), and Electrical Goods (-0.2%).

  • The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 6.0% in both December 2024 and November 2024, compared with 5.4% in December 2023.

Statistician's Comment

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 January 2025) published Retail Sales Index December 2024 (Provisional) and November 2024 (Final).

Commenting on the release, Tommy Allen, Statistician in the Enterprise Statistics Division, said: "The volume of Retail Sales rose by 1.1% in December 2024 when compared with November 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 0.8% higher than in December 2023. When Motor Trades are excluded, the volume of Retail Sales rose by 0.3% in the month and increased by 1.1% in the year when compared with December 2023 (See Headline Table, Tables 1 & 2, and Figure 1).

Monthly Changes

Sectors showing monthly volume increases were Motor Trades (+6.3%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.9%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+2.1%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+2.0%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+1.7%), and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (+0.6%).

The largest monthly volume decreases were recorded in Fuel (-3.0%), Other Retail Sales (-2.0%), Furniture & Lighting (-1.2%), and Bars (-1.1%) (See Table 3 and Background Notes).

Annual Changes

Sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in December 2024 were Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+8.8%), Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (+6.8%), Department Stores (+6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+3.8%), and Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.5%).

Annual volume declines were recorded in Fuel (-7.8%), Bars (-4.6%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-0.3%), and Electrical Goods (-0.2%).

Value of Retail Sales

The value of Retail Sales was 1.1% higher in December 2024 than in November 2024 and was up by 0.3% when compared with December 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the value of Retail Sales rose by 0.6% in the month and was up by 0.7% on an annual basis (See Tables 1 & 2)."

Editor's Note

The December 2024 (Provisional) period covers the five weeks from 01/12/24 to 04/01/25, while the November 2024 (Final) period covers the four weeks from 03/11/24 to 30/11/24.

Headline Table

The headline table shows the seasonally adjusted value and volume indices for the Retail Sales Index. It also highlights the monthly and annual percentage changes in both value and volume. Value represents turnover or total expenditure whereas volume strips out the impact of price changes to reflect quantity sold.

Seasonally Adjusted Retail Sales Index - All Businesses
 Base Year 2021=100
 Volume IndexValue Index
December 2023112.8123.9
November 2024112.4122.9
December 2024113.7124.2
% change  
Monthly1.1%1.1%
Annual0.8%0.3%

Seasonally Adjusted Volume Indices for All Businesses and All Businesses excl. Motor Trades

In December 2024, the volume of Retail Sales for All Businesses rose by 1.1% in the month and was up by 0.8% in the year since December 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the volume of Retail Sales was up by 0.3% in the month, while on an annual basis, retail volumes were 1.1% higher.

Figure 1: Seasonally Adjusted Volume Indices for All Businesses and All Businesses excl. Motor Trades, December 2022 - December 2024
Table 1 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Total Retail Sales for All Businesses

Table 2 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Total Retail Sales for All Businesses (Excluding Motor Trades)

Monthly and Annual Seasonally Adjusted Percentage Changes

In December 2024, sectors showing monthly volume increases were Motor Trades (+6.3%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+2.9%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+2.1%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+2.0%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+1.7%), and Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) (+0.6%).

The largest monthly volume decreases were recorded in Fuel (-3.0%), Other Retail Sales (-2.0%), Furniture & Lighting (-1.2%), and Bars (-1.1%).

X-axis labelMonthly percentage change
All Businesses 1.1
Motor Trades6.3
Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) 0.6
Department Stores -0.8
Food, Beverages & Tobacco-0.4
Fuel-3
Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles2.1
Clothing, Footwear & Textiles2.9
Furniture & Lighting-1.2
Hardware, Paints & Glass2
Electrical Goods-0.1
Books, Newspapers & Stationery1.7
Other Retail Sales-2
Bars-1.1

In December 2024, sectors showing the highest annual volume growth in December 2024 were Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (+8.8%), Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (+6.8%), Department Stores (+6.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+3.8%), and Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+3.5%).

Annual volume declines were recorded in Fuel (-7.8%), Bars (-4.6%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-0.3%), and Electrical Goods (-0.2%).

X-axis labelAnnual percentage change
All Businesses 0.8
Motor Trades0.1
Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) 1.4
Department Stores 6.4
Food, Beverages & Tobacco6.8
Fuel-7.8
Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles3.5
Clothing, Footwear & Textiles8.8
Furniture & Lighting2.7
Hardware, Paints & Glass3.8
Electrical Goods-0.2
Books, Newspapers & Stationery-0.3
Other Retail Sales2.2
Bars-4.6
Table 3 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Retail Sales for 13 Retail Businesses - Provisional Results December 2024

Final Results and Rolling Three Month Provisional Average

Table 4 relates to final results for November 2024, while Table 5 presents a rolling three-month provisional average.

Table 4 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Retail Sales for 13 Retail Businesses - Final Results November 2024

Table 5 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Retail Sales for 13 Retail Businesses - Rolling Three Month Provisional Average

Percentage of Turnover Generated by Online Sales

The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 6.0% in both December 2024 and November 2024, compared with 5.4% in December 2023. Excluding Motor Trades, the proportion of Retail Sales transacted online was 7.8% in both December 2024 and November 2024, compared with 6.4% in December 2023.

Figure 3: Percentage of Turnover generated by Online Sales for All Businesses and All Businesses excl. Motor Trades, December 2022 - December 2024
Table 6 Percentage of Total Retail Sales Turnover generated by Online Sales

Table 7 Percentage of Turnover generated by Online Sales for 13 Retail Businesses - Provisional Results December 2024

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