Irish retail sales fell 1.0% monthly in August 2025, mainly due to declines in motor trades and department stores, despite annual growth.

Irish retail sales volumes fell 1.0% month-on-month in August 2025, driven by a 3.6% drop in motor trades and a 4.3% decline in department stores, though year-on-year sales rose 3.9%. Excluding cars, volumes dipped 0.3% monthly but rose 2.1% annually. Motor trades led annual growth with a 9.8% increase, while department stores fell 8.7% year-on-year. Online sales held steady at 5.2% of total turnover, up from 4.7% in August 2024.