The volume of retail sales decreased 1.4% month-on-month and 4.2% year-on-year in November as the shrinking motor trade had a large effect on wider retail.
Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show significant monthly volume decreases in sales at bars (-11.3%), and in the motor (-9%), furniture & lighting (-4%) and other retail (-3.4%) trades.
The largest monthly volume increases were posted in clothing, footwear & textiles, which saw a 19.3% uplift, and electrical goods (+4.4%).
The volume of retail sales, excluding motor trades, rose by 3.5% from October and fell 1.4% when compared with November 2021.
The largest annual volume declines were in other retail (-25.8%), motor (-11%), food, beverages & tobacco (-6.3%) and furniture and lighting (-4.3%).
In Association with
However, bars (+13.6%), department stores (+6.5%) and electrical goods (+5.1%) saw surges as the country entered the first Christmas without Covid restrictions for three years.
The proportion of retail sales conducted online rebounded slightly after halving this time last year, falling from 12.4% in November 2020 to 6% in November 2021 and rising to 6.3% last November from 4.6% in November.
The value of fuel sales rose 20.9% in the year to November despite volumes increasing just 3.9%, with petrol and diesel prices having rocketed following the start of the war in Ukraine before returning to pre-war levels later in the year.
"The value of retail sales was 1.4% lower in November 2022 than October 2022 and was 3.6% higher than a year earlier," said CSO statistician Stephanie Kelleher.
"Excluding motor trades, the value of retail sales increased by 3.1% in the month and rose by 6.3% on an annual basis."
Card spend data
Debit and credit card data from the Central Bank shows that total in-store spending amounted to €4bn in November, a 4% year-on-year increase.
Total online expenditure of €3.7bn was up 9% compared to November 2021. Online spending amounted to 48% of overall PoS spending in November 2022.
On an annual basis, total retail spending using plastic increased by 3% through November 2022. This was mainly driven by a 4% annual increase in spending on clothing.
Total social spending with debit and credit cards in November also ahead 4% year-on-year.
Total card spending of €8.7bn in November, including ATM withdrawals, was up 5% on the previous year and up 9% on October 2022.
(Pic: Getty Images)
