People flocked to pubs and shops but bought less online as the post-Covid reopening took hold in June according to new figures.
ales in bars were up 553 per cent last month by volume compared to May, and up 184 per cent when compared to June last year, according to the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) retail sales index.
The figures showed sales of books and newspaper were up 169 per cent compared to May and up 46.8 per cent compared to June last year.
Monthly sales of clothing and footwear were slightly down (-1 er cent) in June compared to May, although they were up 42.6 per cent on June 2020 and are actually almost 20 per cent up on pre-Covid levels.
However, the CSO has advised “extreme caution” when interpreting the figures, as outdoor hospitality reopened only on June 7 this year, while only bars serving food were allowed to reopen from June 29 last year meaning exact comparisons are difficult to make.
“Extreme caution should be exercised when interpreting these changes, as the comparison is with a low base,” said CSO statistician Stephanie Kelleher
