The value of retail sales rose by 4.2 per cent on the same period last year, the Central Statistics Office said today.
The volume of retail sales, which excludes price effects, increased by 1.4 per cent in July 2002 compared to July 2001.
On a three-month basis, which gives a clearer picture of spending trends, the volume figures show a 1.1 per cent decrease compared with the three months ending April 2002.