Irish retail sales dip 0.4% in September
CSO figures show retail sales volumes fell monthly, while food, beverages and tobacco declined 1.2% but grew 0.3% annually
Print28 October 2026
The volume of retail sales in Ireland fell by 0.4% in September 2026 compared with August, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), although sales remained 2.9% higher than a year earlier.
The value of retail sales also declined month on month, falling by 0.1%, but increased by 4.8% compared with September 2025.
Excluding motor trades, retail sales volumes were unchanged in September and rose by 2.2% annually.
The CSO’s provisional Retail Sales Index for September covers the five weeks from 30 August to 3 October 2026.
Food and drink retail
The volume of sales in the food, beverages and tobacco category fell by 1.2% in September compared with August, while the value of sales declined by 1.1%.
Year on year, however, volumes increased by 0.3% and value rose by 1.5%.
Non-specialised stores, including supermarkets, recorded a 0.5% monthly increase in sales volume and a 2.7% rise compared with September 2025.
The value of sales in these stores increased by 0.7% over the month and 3.9% annually.
Food businesses recorded a 0.3% monthly increase in sales volume and a 2.6% annual rise.
Their sales value grew by 0.5% month on month and 3.7% year on year.
The volume of fuel sales declined by 0.8% in September but was 1.6% higher than a year earlier.
Fuel sales value rose by 2.7% over the month and 11.3% annually, reflecting the continuing impact of inflation on the sector.
Wider retail trends
Department stores recorded the largest monthly increase in sales volume, up 2.2%, followed by furniture and lighting, which rose by 1.1%, and other retail sales, up 1%.
Books, newspapers and stationery saw the largest monthly decline, falling by 3.4%, followed by clothing, footwear and textiles, down 1.9%.
On an annual basis, other retail sales recorded the strongest volume growth at 4.5%, followed by motor trades at 4% and pharmaceuticals, medical and cosmetic articles at 3.8%.
Hardware, paints and glass recorded the largest annual decline, down 5.1%, while clothing, footwear and textiles fell by 4.1%.
Online sales accounted for 5.9% of turnover across all businesses in September, compared with 6.2% in August.
For food, beverages and tobacco retailers, online sales represented 8.4% of turnover, up from 5.2% in August.
The CSO noted that the online figures cover sales by domestic retail enterprises and do not include non-domestic online retailers.
The September figures are provisional, based on early returns from sampled retailers.
The CSO also said retail sales volume indices will be revised in the coming months following the adoption of a new classification scheme in the Consumer Price Index.
‘Some reassurance’
Commenting on the overall results, Dermot Daly, consumer products and retail lead, said that the figures provide some reassurance for retailers heading into the crucial Christmas trading period.
“Despite a 0.4% dip in volumes in September, retail sales remain 2.9% higher than this time last year, suggesting that consumers have not significantly pulled back on spending,” he highlighted.
“However, resilience should not necessarily be confused with confidence. Households are still managing higher everyday costs and consumers are likely to remain considered about where and how they spend their discretionary income. Value will be front of mind, with consumers likely to shop around, seek out promotions and prioritise the purchases that matter most to them.
“For retailers, that means competition for consumers discretionary spend will be particularly intense in the weeks ahead. Price will be important, but competing on price alone will not necessarily be enough – clear promotions, transparent pricing and making it easy for customers to understand where they are getting value will all matter,” Daly added.
“The Christmas trading period will be the real test of whether the resilience we have seen in consumer spending throughout the year translates into stronger festive spending. This is a time when people naturally want to spend on family and friends and enjoy the season, so there is good reason for retailers to be positive. At the same time, consumers will continue to look carefully at where they are getting value for their money, and retailers will have to work hard to win that spend.”
Read more: Volume of retail sales up 0.2% in March 2026: CSO
© 2026, ShelfLife by Ryan Brennan
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