Irish pub and bar sales fell by an estimated 4.1 per cent in the year to the end of June, according to preliminary Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, despite an overall pickup in retail sales so far this year.
Excluding the volatile motor trade, retail sales volumes increased by an estimated 3.1 per cent in the 12 months to the end of last month.
Consumers have notably increased their spending on homeware and DIY products, according to the CSO data. Furniture and lighting sales saw the biggest annual percentage increase, climbing 12.3 per cent by volume since June 2024.
Hardware sales volumes, including paints and glass, were down 4.6 per cent over the same period. However, volumes in this category increased by 2.4 per cent between April and June compared with the same three-month stretch in 2024.
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Clothing sales volumes also jumped in the 12 months to the end of last month, up 5.9 per cent in the year.
Bar and pub sales fell by 4.1 per cent and were down by 1.2 per cent on a rolling basis in the three months to the end of June compared with the same period last year.
Consumer spending is expected to grow this year, supported by growth in real wages as consumer price inflation continues to moderate, hovering around the European Central Bank’s 2 per cent target.
In its latest quarterly economic commentary, the Economic and Social Research Institute said it expects private consumer expenditure to grow by 2.3 per cent this year and 2.8 per cent in 2026.
The think-tank still cut an earlier forecast for consumer spending due to a “rise in international uncertainty” that could “lead to higher precautionary savings as households attempt to build up buffers”.
Consumer sentiment dipped slightly in July, according to the Irish League of Credit Unions’ most recent research, amid rising concern about the still-elevated cost of living.
