The volume of retail sales increased by 9.2 per cent in October this year compared with the same month last year, latest data from the Central Statistics Office has shown.
The monthly increase was 4.7 per cent. When motor sales were excluded, the annual increase was 8.3 per cent, and the monthly change was 2.2 per cent up.
The value of retail sales also increased during October 9.5 per cent, the CSO said. During the three-month period until September 2006, the largest increase in volume of sales was the electrical goods sector, which increased by 6.9 per cent.
Over the same period, sales of furniture and lighting goods dropped 3 per cent.