Retail sales of furniture and lighting in Ireland saw both annual and monthly growth in April 2025, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Volume sales in the category rose by 6.7% year-on-year and 1.5% compared to March. The value of these sales also increased by 2.3% annually and 4.7% month-on-month, reflecting continued consumer interest in home-related purchases.
Overall Irish retail sales grew in April, with monthly volume up 1.1% and value rising by 1.3%. Compared to April 2024, retail volume was 3.0% higher, while value increased by 3.5%.
Department stores saw a mixed performance, with a 5.6% annual drop in volume, though sales grew 6.4% month-on-month. The value of sales in this sector rose 0.4% monthly and 2.5% annually.
Despite growth in key categories, online sales slightly declined. The proportion of retail transactions conducted online by Irish-registered companies was 5.0% in April, down from 5.6% in the same month last year.
Tommy Allen of the CSO noted that while overall retail performance was positive, excluding motor trades revealed a slight dip in monthly volume of 0.1%, though annual growth remained at 1.1%.
Other sectors that recorded monthly volume increases included books, newspapers and stationery (+2.0%), and food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (+1.3%). In contrast, declines were seen in clothing, footwear and textiles (-1.4%), electrical goods (-1.1%), and other retail sales (-1.1%).
The data suggests a stable consumer environment with particular strength in home-related categories, as Irish shoppers continue to invest in furniture and lighting.
Source: www.bigfurnituregroup.com