IBEC - Newsroom

Retail Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the Irish retail sector, today said that new CSO retail sales figures for April show some positive signs, but that sales are still at a low ebb.

Retail Ireland Director Torlach Denihan said: "The volume of core retail sales, excluding car, fuel and bar sales, increased by 3.9% in April by comparison with April 2009 which is positive. Unfortunately the actual cash value of sales in April and indeed in the first four months of the year are well below the corresponding 2009 figures. The cash value of core retail sales is now almost 20% less than in 2007.

"There was bad news from a major retailer yesterday on the jobs front and to avoid more of this retailers' costs will have reduce in line with their takings. To preserve employment in retailing, rents and local authority rates in particular will have to be reduced. Landlords and local authorities that have not done so to date should cut rents and rates."