The value of Irish retail sales rose by four per cent in September compared with the same month last year, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO said the September figure was 0.9 per cent higher than August.
If motor sales are excluded the annual increase is 8.9 per cent. The volume of retail sales - excluding price effects - increased by 1.4 per cent in September compared to the same month last year. If motor sales are excluded the increase was 4.9 per cent.
On a three-month basis, which gives a more stable indication of recent underlying trends, the July-September 2001 volume figures show a 0.4 per cent increase compared with the three months ending June 2001.
August is the latest month for which final detailed sectoral figures are available. The three month June-August 2001 volume figures show that, compared with the three months ending May, the largest increase in the volume of sales was in the department stores sector which rose 3.5 per cent.
The largest decrease in volume was in the furniture and lighting sector which fell 5.1 per cent.
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