Irish retail sales rose 3.3% in June on bar, restaurant reopening

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish retail sales volumes grew 3.3% in June compared to the previous month after restaurants and bars were allowed to serve customers outdoors for the first time this year following the country's third and longest lockdown, data showed on Monday.

Sales were 10.6% higher than the same month a year ago, when stricter curbs were in place, and 13% up on pre-pandemic levels in June 2019. While bar sales were 553% higher month-on-month, they were 48% down on 2019, the Central Statistics Office said.

Separate daily credit and debit card usage compiled by Ireland's central bank have shown that spending fell back a touch in the first half of July after plans to resume indoor dining and drinking were delayed until this week.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Gareth Jones)