The volume of Retail Sales was unchanged in the month and increased by 0.3% in the year to May 2022.
Department Stores (+20.9%), Electrical Goods (+9.2%) and Hardware, Paints & Glass (+6.5%) recorded the largest monthly volume increases.
The largest monthly volume decreases were in Furniture & Lighting (-22.3%), Clothing & Footwear (-21.1%) and Motor Trades (-7.0%).
Bars (+769%) and Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+107%) accounted for the highest annual volume increases, however caution should be exercised when interpreting these increases, as the comparison is with a very low base from a year ago.
The volume of Retail Sales excluding Motor Trades fell by 1.3% in the month and rose by 4.3% in the year when compared with May 2021.
Volume of Retail Sales was 7.2% higher in May 2022 than pre-COVID-19 levels in February 2020.
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 6.1% in May 2022 compared with 4.9% in April 2022, 5.6% in May 2021 and 13.2% in May 2020.
The value of sales in the Fuel sector rose by 27.2% in the year to May 2022 while the volume fell by 0.5% 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 |
| May 2021 | 129.9 | 120.0 |
| April 2022 | 130.2 | 130.0 |
| May 2022 | 130.3 | 124.6 |
| % change | ||
| Monthly | 0.0% | -4.1% |
| Annual | 0.3% | 3.8% |
| February 2020 - May 2022 | 7.2% | 11.0% |
In May 2022 the volume of Retail Sales for all businesses was unchanged in the month and rose by 0.3% in the year. Excluding motor trades there was a monthly volume decrease of 1.3% in May 2022, while on an annual basis, retail volumes were 4.3% higher.
The largest monthly volume increase between April 2022 and May 2022 was in Department Stores (+20.9%) and the largest decrease occurred in Furniture & Lighting (-22.3%).
| X-axis label | Monthly percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 0 |
| Motor Trades | -7 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 0.1 |
| Department Stores | 20.9 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | -2.5 |
| Fuel | -1.4 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 0.1 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | -21.1 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -22.3 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 6.5 |
| Electrical Goods | 9.2 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | -3.7 |
| Other Retail Sales | 0.3 |
| Bars | -2.6 |
In May 2022, the largest annual volume increases were recorded in Bars (+769%) and Books, Newspapers & Stationery (+107%) and the largest annual decreases were in Motor Trades (-14.6%) and Other Retail Sales (-14.3%).
| X-axis label | Annual percentage change |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 0.3 |
| Motor Trades | -14.6 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | -4.3 |
| Department Stores | 24 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | -13.5 |
| Fuel | -0.5 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 14.8 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 4.4 |
| Furniture & Lighting | 0.1 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 6.6 |
| Electrical Goods | 7.4 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 107.3 |
| Other Retail Sales | -14.3 |
| Bars | 768.6 |
Compared to February 2020 (27 months earlier and pre-COVID-19), the highest increases in the volume of Retail Sales in May 2022 were seen in Hardware, Paints & Glass (+24.1%) and Clothing & Footwear (+23.2%). The largest volume decreases during the same period occurred in Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-27.2%) and Bars (-26.6%).
| X-axis label | February 2020 - May 2022 |
|---|---|
| All Businesses | 7.2 |
| Motor Trades | -1.1 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 7.2 |
| Department Stores | -4.4 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 5.2 |
| Fuel | -10.5 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 17.4 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 23.2 |
| Furniture & Lighting | -14 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 24.1 |
| Electrical Goods | 13.9 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | -27.2 |
| Other Retail Sales | -1.2 |
| Bars | -26.6 |
The proportion of Retail Sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) was 6.1% in May 2022 compared with 4.9% in April 2022, 5.6% in May 2021 and 13.2% in May 2020. Excluding Motor Trades, the proportion of Retail Sales transacted online in May 2022 was 6.5%.
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Statistician's Comment
Commenting on the release, Stephanie Kelleher, Statistician in the Business Statistics Division, said: "Retail Sales were unchanged in May 2022 when compared with April 2022 on a seasonally adjusted basis. On an annual basis, retail volumes were 0.3% higher than in May 2021 (See Headline Table and Figure 1).
In May 2022, the largest monthly volume increases in sales were recorded in Department Stores (+20.9%), Electrical Goods (+9.2%) and Hardware, Paints & Glass (+6.5%). The largest decreases in the volume of sales were in Furniture & Lighting (-22.3%), Clothing & Footwear (-21.1%) and Motor Trades (-7.0%) (See Table 3).
Two sectors showed very large annual increases in the volume of sales compared with May 2021. Bars rose by 769% compared with May 2021, however despite this large recovery in May 2022 over the previous year, Bar sales remained 26.6% lower than their pre-COVID-19 level in February 2020. Books, Newspapers & Stationery also showed a large annual increase (+107%), reflecting a recovery from a very low base in May 2021.
The sectors which showed the largest annual reductions in volume were Motor Trades (-14.6%), Other Retail Sales (-14.3%) and Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (-13.5%) (See Tables 3 & 3a).
Compared with February 2020 (27 months earlier and pre-COVID-19), the volume of Retail Sales in May 2022 was 7.2% higher. The highest increases were seen in Hardware, Paints & Glass (+24.1%), Clothing & Footwear (+23.2%), Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles (+17.4%) and Electrical Goods (13.9%).
The largest decreases in the volume of sales in May 2022 when compared with February 2020 levels, were Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-27.2%), Bars (-26.6%) and Furniture & Lighting (-14.0%) (See Table 3a).
The value of Retail Sales was 4.1% lower in May 2022 than in April 2022 and was 3.8% higher than May 2021. Excluding Motor Trades, the value of Retail Sales decreased by 0.1% in the month and increased by 14.0% on an annual basis. (See Tables 1 & 2)."