23/01/2009

Retail Sales Crash To Over 20 Year Low

Figures released by the Irish national bank have revealed Ireland's retail sales figures are at their lowest since 1984.

The National Irish Bank figures show retail sales volumes were 8.1 per cent lower in November compared with the same month of last year as consumers sharply curbed their spending.

Dr Ronnie O'Toole, chief economist with the Bank, said the current rate of decline in retail sales was the fastest in the last quarter of a century.

"2009 promises to be a very difficult year for retailers, given the scale of the slowdown in spending. While retail sales are falling in most European countries, the rate of decline in Ireland is relatively fast, along with Spain, Estonia and Latvia," he said.

One of Ireland's largest supermarket chains, Superquinn, announced this week it was forced to lay off 300 workers due to the fall in retail sales it attributed to the number of Irish shoppers visiting the North for their groceries.

However, controversially, Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has criticised what he called the nonsensical debate about cross border shopping.

Mr McGuiness criticised the Lord Mayor of Dublin's comments that it was unpatriotic to go shopping in across the border in Newry. The Deputy First Minister said that like racism and sectarianism, "partitionism" is one of the evils in our society.

(DW/JM)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

08 January 2014
Further Job Losses Predicted In Retail Sector - ISME
Reacting to the latest retail sales figures for November 2013, issued by the CSO today, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprise Association (ISME), called for the establishment of a Retail Strategy Group to assist Irish retailers continuing to struggle with high overheads and low consumer demand.
01 December 2014
Rise In Ireland's Retail Sales
It is estimated that Irish households will spend an extra €650 to €750 in shops this month, compared to other months of the year, according to Retail Ireland. Key indicators are pointing to the best Christmas for the retail sector since 2009, according to the firm's Retail Christmas Monitor 2014.
26 September 2019
29 Retailers To Benefit From Online Retail Scheme
Recipients of the second call of the pilot Online Retail Scheme have been announced by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys. Administered by Enterprise Ireland, a total of 29 retailers have been awarded €659,550 in funding as part of the €1.
15 November 2008
Retail Sales See Largest Drop In 25 Years
The volume of retail sales in Ireland has fallen in recent months by the largest amount in 25 years, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office. The agency says retail sales were down 5.6% during the third quarter of this year, the largest decline since the second quarter of 1983.
23 October 2015
Largest Like For Like Sales In 8 Years
New figures have revealed the largest like for like increase in sales since 2007. The Retail Excellence Ireland figures review the third quarter of 2015 and are compiled from information collected in over 4,000 stores.