Bar sales up 4%

Sales volumes in bars jumped 4% in March compared to the previous month, February, according to provisional Retail Sales figures from the CSO.

The provisional figures indicate a 1.8% rise in sales volumes on an annual basis when compared with March 2014.

Bar sales rose less significantly in value however, rising 1.2% in March compared to February and by 1.5% on an annual basis.

Over the three months January to March this year, the provisional CSO figures indicate a rise in sales volumes of just 0.2% compared with the previous January to March period in 2014 while values rose 0.5%.

Compared to the October to December 2014 quarter, sales volumes fell 1.8% while values fell by 1.5%.