Almost three-quarters of Irish consumers are planning to spend the same or less over the upcoming Black Friday weekend compared to last year, according to a new survey.
The research, carried out by PwC, found that 73% of respondents said they plan to spend the same or less, which is up from 64% in 2024.
The survey found that on average Irish consumers plan to spend at least €283 during the sales weekend, which is 14% down on the average of €329 spent last year.
The European average spend is €268.
The survey of 10,000 European consumers, including 2,000 people in Ireland, also showed that Irish consumers are among the highest spending nation in Europe over the sales weekend.
62% of the respondents said they are likely or extremely likely to purchase at least one item over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, which is down from 64% last year.
While 14% of said they expect to spend at least €500.
John O'Loughlin, Partner, Retail & Consumer Practice at PwC Ireland said the ongoing cost of living pressures "mean many Irish shoppers plan to spend the same or less during the Black Friday sales period".
"Nonetheless, the sales weekend remains a critically important sales period with strong consumer interest apparent," he said.
Mr O’Loughlin said shoppers are "increasingly seeking value, focusing on specific items and the best deals to maximise value for money in the run up to Christmas."
The PwC survey found that 83% of Irish consumers report that they will use the Black Friday sales weekend to buy Christmas gifts compared to a European rate of 78%.
It also showed that 64% of Irish consumers favour online shopping while over a third (36%) said they favour in-store shopping, which is higher than their European peers at 33%, which the study said indicates that "a keen interest in in-store shopping continues."
