Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales increased by 2,3% year-on-year in August 2025. The largest positive contributors to this increase were:

·         all ‘other’ retailers (7,9% and contributing 0,8 of a percentage point);

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (8,1% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point); and

·         general dealers (0,8% and contributing 0,4 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,2% in August 2025 compared with July 2025. This followed month-on-month changes of 2,3% in July 2025 and -0,2% in June 2025.

Retail trade sales increased by 3,2% in the three months ended August 2025 compared with the three months ended August 2024. The largest positive contributors to this increase were:

·         all ‘other’ retailers (7,7% and contributing 0,8 of a percentage point);

·         retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (4,5% and contributing 0,8 of a percentage point);

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (9,7% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point); and

·         general dealers (1,6% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,2% in the three months ended August 2025 compared with the previous three months. The largest positive contributors were:

·         retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (2,0% and contributing 0,4 of a percentage point);

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (4,0% and contributing 0,3 of a percentage point);

·         all ‘other’ retailers (2,6% and contributing 0,3 of a percentage point); and

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

The negative contributor was retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (-2,1% and contributing ‑0,2 of a percentage point).