Irish retail sales volumes in October fell month-on-month for the first time since April as COVID-19 curbs were tightened but a modest 0.7% drop meant sales were still 8.1% higher than the same period a year ago, Central Statistics Office data showed.
Ireland banned indoor restaurant and bar service across the country from 5 October before all non-essential retail was shut and restaurants limited to takeaway service from 22 October, measures set to be mostly unwound from next week.
Volumes have increased annually each month since plummeting a record 44% year-on-year in April and a further 25% in May during a wider lockdown.
Hardware, paint and glass, electrical goods and 'other' retail sales were again responsible for the largest increases, all up by over 30%. Fuel sales were down 21%.
