From snow to heatwaves, Irish retailers have been at the mercy of weather this year
Many stores have reported bumper summer sales as customers stock up on ice cream and BBQs.
AFTER TAKING A hit during the stormy conditions earlier this year, retail sales got a “welcome” boost from the warm and sunny summer.
That is according to the most recent report from Ibec group Retail Ireland, which showed that Irish retail sales grew by 3.4% annually in value during the second quarter of the year.
The industry group said that this was “welcome” growth following the disruptions to trade that occurred during Storm Emma. Retail sales dropped by 2.3% in the first quarter when compared to the same period in 2017.
Thomas Burke, director of Retail Ireland, said that weather has had a “huge impact” on Irish retailers in the first half of the year, from the snow to the heatwave.
“With the recent fine spell of weather, our members have reported strong demand for seasonal products such as fans, ice cream, BBQs and patio furniture, amongst other things.”
He added that one-off events such as the football World Cup and the royal wedding in the UK provided a boost to sales of products such as soft drinks, alcohol and magazines.
However, Retail Ireland’s report showed that not all areas of the retail industry benefitted from the recent warm weather.
“Sectors such as department stores, fashion and footwear and hairdressing have reported lower than normal footfall and declining sales in the period, with consumers opting for a trip to the beach or park rather than a day’s shopping or pampering in the warm weather,” Burke said.
Storm Emma disrupted retail earlier this year
Retail trends
Retail Ireland said that the recent weather has led to “more consumers on the move” and a “generally more positive mood”. This resulted in a near-4% increase in the value of sales for supermarkets and convenience stores compared to the same quarter last year.
Pharmacy sales were also up, driven by seasonal demand for hay fever and sun-care products, while the highest increase was recorded by garden centres and DIY and hardware stores.
However, high-street retailers only recorded marginal growth during this period. Sales in department stores were up by 0.7% in value, while sales in fashion and footwear outlets were up 0.5%.
Retail Ireland said that both the cold weather at the start of the year and the record-high temperatures in recent months “adversely impacted footfall” in department stores.
Last month, property giant Hammerson – the firm behind some of Dublin’s biggest shopping centres – said that footfall was down by 3% in its Irish portfolio in the first half of the year.
