Fuel sales rose 4.8% on the month in January, while sales of food, drinks and tobacco were up 2.7%, the data showed. Sales of non-food items increased 1.5% on the month.
The data are adjusted for the number of working days and seasonal factors.
In annual terms, adjusted retail sales advanced 9.9% in January, again boosted by higher sales in all sectors, INS said.
Fuel sales increased 33.1% on the year in January, while sales of food and non-food products were up 6.5% and 3.8% on the year, respectively.
In unadjusted data, retail sales dropped 27.8% in January from a month earlier, but were up 10.2% compared with the same month of 2011.