Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales decreased by 1,4% year-on-year in May 2023. The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:

·         general dealers (-3,7% and contributing -1,6 percentage points); and

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-8,7% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,7% in May 2023 compared with April 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of 0,2% in April 2023 and -0,7% in March 2023.

Retail trade sales decreased by 1,5% in the three months ended May 2023 compared with the three months ended May 2022. The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:

·          general dealers (-2,7% and contributing -1,2 percentage points); and

·          retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (-5,5% and contributing -0,5 of a percentage point).

Retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods was the only positive contributor (6,0% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,7% in the three months ended May 2023 compared with the previous three months. The largest negative contributors were:

·          general dealers (-0,6% and contributing -0,3 of a percentage point);

·          retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (-2,9% and contributing -0,2 of a percentage point); and

·         all ‘other’ retailers (-2,0% and contributing -0,2 of a percentage point).