The value of retail sales in Ireland climbed by 8.3 per cent in September compared to the same month last year, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
However, after stripping out the impact of motor trade sales - which many economists say gives a more balanced picture of consumption - the annual increase falls to 7.4 per cent.
The volume of retail sales (excluding price effects) increased by 5.2 per cent in September 2002 compared to September 2001.
On a three-month basis, which gives a more stable indication of recent underlying trends, July 2002-September 2002 volume figures show a 2.3 per cent increase compared with the three months ending June 2002.