Ireland's retail sales decreased for the first time in 13 months in April, preliminary data from the Central Statistics Office showed on Thursday.
The volume of retail sales dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.5% year-on-year in April, reversing a 0.9% increase in the previous month. Moreover, this was the first decline since April 2025.
The largest annual volume of decline was recorded in furniture and lighting, which fell by 10.3%, followed by clothing, footwear, and textiles with a 7.2% decline. Sales at department stores dropped 4.5%, and fuel sales were 2.6% lower.
On the other hand, sales of pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic articles grew notably by 10.5% from last year.
On a monthly basis, retail sales dropped 0.2% versus a 0.5% fall in March.
