According to figures by the Irish Central Statistics Office, the volume of retail sales recovered in February increased by 13.9%, after a decline of 21.8% registered in the month before.

On an annual basis, retail volumes were 3.2% lower in February compared with similar month in 2020. When motor trades are excluded, the volume of retail sales increased by 2.5 % in February over the previous month and decreased by 3.9 % in comparation with the same period in 2020.

In February the volume of retail sales increased in 10 business groups. Hardware, paints and glass (+25.5%), furniture and lighting (+23.6%) and electrical goods (+23.2%) registered the most significative increases. Volume of sales also increased in clothing, footwear and textiles (+11.1%), pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic articles (+10.9%), motor trades (+9.1%), and fuel (+4.2%). Food, beverages and tobacco (specialised stores) (+2.4%), other retail sales (+1.7%) and books, newspapers and stationery (+1.4%) also registered positive growth.

The volume of sales fell in bars (-12.8 %), department stores (-1.8 %) and non-specialised stores (including supermarkets) (-0.3 %).

The proportion of retail sales transacted online (from Irish registered companies) increased to 13% in February from 11% in January. This was the highest proportion of retail sales transacted online since May 2020 (13.2%).

Compared with February 2020, the volume of retail sales was lower in bars (-91.3%), clothing, footwear and textiles (-63.6%), books, newspapers and stationery (-55 %), and department stores (-45.2 %), fuel (-20.4%), furniture and lighting (-17 %) and motor trades (-6.8 %). The volume of retail sales was higher in February compared to the same period of last year in electrical goods (+33.5 %), hardware, paints and glass (+25.6%), and food, beverages and tobacco (+24 %), other retail sales (+16.8 %), non-specialised stores (+11.2 %) and pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic articles (+3.8%).

The value of retail sales was 12.6% higher in February than in January 2021.

On an annual basis the value of retail sales was 5.9% lower than February 2021. Excluding motor trades, the value of retail sales increased by 2.7% in the month and fell by 8.4% on an annual basis.