Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales decreased by 2,5% year-on-year in October 2023. The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:

·         general dealers (-5,7% and contributing -2,4 percentage points);

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-6,6% and contributing -0,6 of a percentage point); and

·         all ‘other’ retailers (-3,7% and contributing -0,4 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,2% in October 2023 compared with September 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of -0,1% in September 2023 and 0,3% in August 2023.

Retail trade sales decreased by 0,6% in the three months ended October 2023 compared with the three months ended October 2022. The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:

·          general dealers (-3,4% and contributing -1,5 percentage points); and

·          retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-5,5% and contributing -0,5 of a percentage point).

Retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods were the largest positive contributors (10,4% and contributing 1,6 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,3% in the three months ended October 2023 compared with the previous three months. The largest positive contributor to the increase was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (3,7% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point).