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This chapter contains information on the Services sector. Data is taken from the Retail Sales Inquiry (RSI) and the Monthly Services Inquiry (MSI). The primary purpose of the Retail Sales Inquiry is to provide a short-term indication of changes in the value and volume (or quantity) of retail sales in Ireland. The Monthly Services Inquiry measures changes in output in the non-financial traded services sector.
Link to release: Retail Sales Index
| Years | All Businesses | All Businesses excluding Motors |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100 | 100 |
| 2016 | 107.5 | 104.9 |
| 2017 | 111.8 | 110.9 |
| 2018 | 115.9 | 115.1 |
| 2019 | 118.5 | 120.2 |
| 2020 | 116.3 | 121.4 |
The primary purpose of the RSI is to provide a short-term indication of changes in the value and volume (or quantity) of retail sales in Ireland. It provides an accurate and objective measure of retail trading and supplies a valuable guide to consumer spending behaviour in the Irish economy.
In 2020, the annual volume of retail sales in All Businesses decreased by 1.9% when compared to 2019, while All Businesses excl. Motor Trades increased by 1.0%. The sectors with the largest annual decreases in 2020, when compared with 2019, were Bars (-59.4%), Books, Newspapers & Stationery (-26.0%) and Clothing, Footwear & Textiles (-20.7%). The sectors showing the largest increases in volume of sales in 2020, when compared to 2019, were Electrical Goods (+16.4%), Food, Beverages & Tobacco (Specialised Stores) (+14.8%) and Hardware, Paints & Glass (+14.2%).
| Table 13.1 Volume Indices of Retail Sales | ||||||
| Base year 2015=100 | ||||||
| Businesses | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Motor Trades | 100.0 | 113.3 | 113.6 | 117.6 | 115.0 | 105.2 |
| Non-Specialised Stores (incl. Supermarkets) | 100.0 | 104.2 | 109.3 | 115.3 | 119.9 | 134.6 |
| Department Stores | 100.0 | 99.8 | 106.7 | 110.5 | 108.2 | 88.5 |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | 100.0 | 102.7 | 104.6 | 107.3 | 110.1 | 126.4 |
| Fuel | 100.0 | 101.9 | 103.5 | 104.5 | 105.6 | 88.8 |
| Pharmaceuticals, Medical & Cosmetic Articles | 100.0 | 105.1 | 111.0 | 117.0 | 123.9 | 131.0 |
| Clothing, Footwear & Textiles | 100.0 | 106.4 | 113.2 | 115.1 | 119.2 | 94.5 |
| Furniture & Lighting | 100.0 | 112.3 | 131.1 | 143.4 | 160.1 | 157.4 |
| Hardware, Paints & Glass | 100.0 | 106.7 | 116.3 | 126.2 | 134.8 | 154.0 |
| Electrical Goods | 100.0 | 110.5 | 126.5 | 148.8 | 173.7 | 202.2 |
| Books, Newspapers & Stationery | 100.0 | 98.8 | 99.4 | 102.9 | 103.5 | 76.6 |
| Other Retail Sales | 100.0 | 106.9 | 112.7 | 105.6 | 110.3 | 121.6 |
| Bars | 100.0 | 103.1 | 106.8 | 105.6 | 101.6 | 41.2 |
| All Businesses excl. Motor Trades | 100.0 | 104.9 | 110.9 | 115.1 | 120.2 | 121.4 |
| All Businesses | 100.0 | 107.5 | 111.8 | 115.9 | 118.5 | 116.3 |
| Combined Groups | ||||||
| All Businesses excl. Motor Trades & Bars | 100.0 | 105.0 | 111.2 | 115.8 | 121.4 | 126.8 |
| Motors & Fuel | 100.0 | 112.1 | 112.6 | 116.3 | 114.0 | 103.5 |
| All Businesses excl. Motor Trades, Fuel & Bars | 100.0 | 105.2 | 111.7 | 116.4 | 122.4 | 129.1 |
| Food Businesses | 100.0 | 104.1 | 108.8 | 114.4 | 118.8 | 133.7 |
| Non-Food excl. Motor Trades, Fuel & Bars | 100.0 | 106.1 | 114.1 | 118.1 | 125.3 | 125.3 |
| Household Equipment | 100.0 | 109.9 | 124.6 | 141.4 | 160.0 | 179.4 |
| Books, Newspapers, Stationery & Other Goods | 100.0 | 105.9 | 111.1 | 105.3 | 109.5 | 116.2 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||
| Table 13.2 Value Indices of Monthly Services | ||||||
| Base year 2015=100 | ||||||
| Sector | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles (G) | 100.0 | 100.0 | 101.2 | 107.8 | 106.3 | 100.8 |
| Transportation and Storage (H) | 100.0 | 101.3 | 102.6 | 110.2 | 118.4 | 83.1 |
| Accommodation and Food Service Activities (I) | 100.0 | 103.2 | 108.7 | 118.6 | 122.3 | 60.9 |
| Information and Communication (J) | 100.0 | 107.4 | 109.3 | 128.2 | 160.7 | 172.9 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities (M) | 100.0 | 109.0 | 121.4 | 116.1 | 101.9 | 94.1 |
| Administrative and Support Service Activities (N) | 100.0 | 100.1 | 108.3 | 122.9 | 100.4 | 79.1 |
| Other Service Activities (68, 92,93,95,96) | 100.0 | 112.6 | 117.8 | 104.4 | 117.8 | 80.2 |
| All Services (45 to 63, 68 to 82, 92 to 96) | 100.0 | 104.5 | 108.4 | 117.0 | 125.2 | 115.8 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||
Link to release: Monthly Services Index
In 2020, the annual value of the monthly services decreased by 7.5% since 2019. Information and Communication was the only sector which increased between 2019 and 2020 (+7.6%). The largest annual decrease between 2019 and 2020 occurred in the Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector (-50.2%).
| Table 13.3 Distribution sector and Services sector key variables, 2017 - 20191 | |||||
| Percentage change | |||||
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2018 - 2019 | ||
| Distribution (G) | |||||
| Enterprises | No. | 48,598 | 47,789 | 46,786 | -2.1% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 48,498 | 47,680 | 46,671 | -2.1% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 100 | 109 | 115 | 5.5% | |
| Persons Engaged | No. | 367,405 | 374,968 | 390,546 | 4.2% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 264,684 | 267,160 | 277,482 | 3.9% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 102,721 | 107,808 | 113,064 | 4.9% | |
| Turnover | €m | 186,677 | 182,394 | 192,617 | 5.6% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 158,820 | 152,308 | 147,389 | -3.2% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 27,857 | 30,085 | 45,228 | 50.3% | |
| Gross Value Added | €m | 22,394 | 23,465 | 25,884 | 10.3% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 17,158 | 18,332 | 17,964 | -2.0% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 5,237 | 5,133 | 7,920 | 54.3% | |
| Services (H-N, R92,R93,S95,S96 excluding K) | |||||
| Enterprises | No. | 158,574 | 157,290 | 160,906 | 2.3% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 158,311 | 156,992 | 160,553 | 2.3% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 263 | 298 | 353 | 18.5% | |
| Persons Engaged | No. | 774,572 | 803,147 | 900,086 | 12.1% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 569,159 | 579,576 | 629,850 | 8.7% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 205,413 | 223,571 | 270,236 | 20.9% | |
| Turnover | €m | 217,552 | 254,492 | 299,224 | 17.6% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 109,517 | 114,141 | 126,414 | 10.8% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 108,036 | 140,351 | 172,810 | 23.1% | |
| Gross Value Added | €m | 75,607 | 90,718 | 101,207 | 11.6% |
| of which: SMEs (<250 persons engaged) | 40,812 | 46,407 | 50,806 | 9.5% | |
| Large (250+ persons engaged) | 34,795 | 44,311 | 50,401 | 13.7% | |
| Source: CSO | |||||
| 1Totals may differ due to rounding. | |||||
In 2019, the number of enterprises in the Distribution sector decreased by 2.1%, while it increased by 2.3% in the Services sector.
As was the case in 2018, almost all (99.8%) of the enterprises in both sectors were SMEs with less than 250 persons engaged.
The average GVA per person engaged in the Distribution and Services sectors in 2019 increased to €98,500 from €96,900 in 2018.
Large Service enterprises had the largest GVA per person engaged in 2019 amounting to €186,500, while the lowest was in Distribution sector SMEs at €64,700.
Visit tables ANA13-ANA12 on PxStat
Link to release: Structural Business Statistics
| X-axis label | Turnover | Gross Value Added |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 - Distribution | 186677 | 22394 |
| 2018 - Distribution | 182394 | 23465 |
| 2019 - Distribution | 192617 | 25884 |
| 2017 - Services | 217552 | 75607 |
| 2018 - Services | 254492 | 90718 |
| 2019 - Services | 299224 | 101207 |
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