Slideshow: As retail sales fall, what are we buying?

June was the 40th consecutive month which saw a drop in retail sales.

A REVIEW OF retail sales in Ireland has revealed that there has been a six per cent drop in the second quarter of the year.

The first quarter saw a drop if three per cent. June now marks the 40th consecutive month of sales decline.

According to Retail Excellence Ireland electrical goods and ladies fashion were the worst performing sectors, falling by 9.5 and 8 per cent respectively. Some of the best performing sectors, like hot beverages and the grocery and pharmacy sectors have still seen a drop in sales.

REI Chief Executive David Fitzsimons said that it doesn’t look like it’s going to pick up anytime soon:

With further anticipated interest rate rises and the government continuing to talk of increased charges, we don’t anticipate any pick up in sentiment in the coming months.

So, what are we buying, and what’s being left on the shelves?

Slideshow: As retail sales fall, what are we buying?

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What are we buying?
Hot beverages was the stongest performing sector in the industry. However, even here sales declined by over 3 per cent compared to last year. Pic: ALittleTune via Flickr
What are we buying?
Electrical goods were the least resilient, experiencing a 9.5 per cent decline, primarily as a result of weakened 'brown goods' sales, such as televisions. Pic: Dullhunk via Flickr
What are we buying?
This was the third quarter in a row in which ladies fashion was among the worst performing sectors, with a fall in sales of eight per cent. Pic: Tracy Ruggles via Flickr
What are we buying?
The grocery sector was among the best performing. The REI said that it's because they are non-discretionary items. Pic: Photocall Ireland
What are we buying?
The pharmacy sector joined the grocery sector in experiencing a year-on-year sales fall of five per cent. Pic: Photocall Ireland

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