In February 2026, the volume of Retail Sales decreased by 0.8% in the month and increased by 0.8% in the 12 months from February 2025.
Excluding Motor Trades, the monthly volume of Retail Sales was up by 0.3% in February 2026 and grew by 0.2% in the year when compared with February 2025.
The value of Retail Sales fell by 0.6% in the month and rose by 2.1% in the 12 months to February 2026.
Sectors showing the highest monthly volume decreases were Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-4.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-3.6%), and Motor Trades (-1.4%).
The largest monthly volume increases were recorded in Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+6.4%), Department Stores (+1.1%), and Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+1.0%).
In February 2026, the highest annual volume growth was recorded in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+5.2%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+2.8%), Motor Trades (+1.9%), and Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+1.5%).
Sectors showing the largest annual volume declines were Furniture & Lighting (-3.3%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-2.5%), Department Stores (-2.2%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-2.2%).
Please note that there will be a revision to all Retail Sales volume indices in the coming months which will be communicated in advance of implementation. This is due to a new classification scheme recently adopted in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Please see CPI methodology page for more information.
Figure 1 and Table 1 show the seasonally adjusted volume of Retail Sales indices for All Businesses and All Businesses excluding Motor Trades. Table 1 also highlights monthly and annual percentage changes in terms of both value and volume. Value represents turnover or total expenditure whereas volume strips out the impact of price changes to reflect quantity sold.
| Table 1 Seasonally Adjusted Indices of Total Retail Sales for All Businesses and All Businesses (excl. Motor Trades)1 | ||
| Base Year 2021=100 | ||
| Volume Index | Value Index | |
| All Businesses | ||
| February 20262 | 115.8 | 128.8 |
| January 2026 | 116.8 | 129.6 |
| February 2025 | 114.9 | 126.1 |
| % change | ||
| Monthly | -0.8% | -0.6% |
| Annual | 0.8% | 2.1% |
| All Businesses (excl. Motor Trades) | ||
| February 20262 | 113.7 | 125.5 |
| January 2026 | 113.3 | 125.1 |
| February 2025 | 113.4 | 123.2 |
| % change | ||
| Monthly | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Annual | 0.2% | 1.9% |
| 1Based on Seasonal Patterns up to February 2026. | ||
| 2Provisional value and volume of sales indices based on early returns from sample retailers. | ||
Figure 2a shows the monthly seasonally adjusted volume percentage changes for February 2026 compared with January 2026.
| X-axis label | Monthly percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | -0.8 |
| Motor Trades | -1.4 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 0.5 |
| Department Stores | 1.1 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 0.6 |
| Fuel | -0.8 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 6.4 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | -4.4 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -0.3 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | -3.6 |
| Electrical Goods | -0.9 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 1 |
| Other Retail Sales | 0.2 |
| Bars | -0.9 |
Figure 2b shows the annual seasonally adjusted volume percentage changes for February 2026 compared with February 2025.
| X-axis label | Annual percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 0.8 |
| Motor Trades | 1.9 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 0.7 |
| Department Stores | -2.2 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | -2.2 |
| Fuel | 0.1 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 1.5 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | -2.5 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -3.3 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 2.8 |
| Electrical Goods | -1.8 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 5.2 |
| Other Retail Sales | 1.1 |
| Bars | -0.9 |
Figure 3 shows the percentage of turnover generated by online sales for All Businesses and All Businesses excluding Motor Trades from February 2024 to February 2026.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (27 March 2026) published Retail Sales Index February 2026 (Provisional) and January 2026 (Final).
The February 2026 (Provisional) period covers the four weeks from 01/02/26 to 28/02/26, while the January 2026 (Final) period covers the four weeks from 04/01/26 to 31/01/26.
Commenting on the release, Tommy Allen, Statistician in the Enterprise Statistics Division, said: "The volume of Retail Sales decreased by 0.8% in February 2026 when compared with January 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 0.8% higher than in February 2025.
When Motor Trades are excluded, the volume of Retail Sales rose by 0.3% in the month and by 0.2% in the year when compared with February 2025 (See Table 1 and Figure 1).
Monthly Changes
Sectors showing the highest monthly volume decreases were Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-4.4%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (-3.6%), and Motor Trades (-1.4%).
The largest monthly volume increases were recorded in Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+6.4%), Department Stores (+1.1%), and Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+1.0%) (See Table 2 and Background Notes).
Annual Changes
In February 2026, the highest annual volume growth was recorded in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+5.2%), Hardware, Paints & Glass (+2.8%), Motor Trades (+1.9%), and Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+1.5%).
Sectors showing the largest annual volume declines were Furniture & Lighting (-3.3%), Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-2.5%), Department Stores (-2.2%), and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-2.2%) (See Table 2).
Value of Retail Sales
The value of Retail Sales was 0.6% lower in February 2026 than in January 2026 and was up by 2.1% when compared with January 2025. Excluding Motor Trades, the value of Retail Sales rose by 0.4% in the month and by 1.9% on an annual basis (See Tables 1 & 2)."