Irish retail sales volume, excluding price effects, decreased 0.1% in May 2012 from the previous month, when they declined 1.5%, and there was an annual fall of 2.7%, according to the data released by Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Excluding motor trades, the volume of retail sales increased 0.8% from April 2012, while sales volume also increased 0.8% year-on-year in the month.
The sectors with the largest month-on-month sales volume decreases were bars, books, newspapers and stationery, which recorded 4.2% and 2.8% falls, respectively.
Sales volume of electrical goods and motor trade declined 2.5% and 1.9% in May, respectively, compared to the previous month.
Food beverages & tobacco sales volume increased 6.5%, while hardware, paints & glass rose 6.3% and pharmaceuticals medical & cosmetic articles saw a 3.8% gain in May.
Month-on-month, department stores sales volume moved up 3.3% in May, while sales value advanced 3%.
During same period, hardware, paints & glass sales volume increased 6.3%, while value of sales was up by 6%.
Clothing, footwear & textiles sales volume grew 2.9% in May, while sales value of the same sector rose 2.9% from the previous month.
Motor trade registered a 1.9% decline in volume of sales in May, while value of sales decreased 1.7%, on a monthly basis.
The value of retail sales edged down 0.4% in May, when compared with April and there was an annual decrease of 1.5%.
Excluding motor trades, retail sales value moved up 0.7% month-on-month in May, while the value of retail sales grew 1.5% on an annual basis in the month.
In the March-May period, retail sales volume declined 1.9% from the preceding three months, and there was a year-on-year decrease of 1.5%.
Image: Both volume and value of retail sales decreased in May in Ireland. Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
