Cinema spending soared by 136% in July of this year compared to the previous month, new figures from Bank of Ireland show, as people flocked to cinemas to see the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies.
Bank of Ireland said the dramatic cinema spending surge stands in stark contrast to July last year, when a modest 5% increase in trips to the cinema was recorded as Ireland experienced warmer, drier conditions.
Bank of Ireland's latest Spending Pulse shows that spending on its debit and credit cards in July rose by 3% from June as indoor activities proved to popular during a wet July.
It shows that monthly spending in aquariums rose by 43%, outlay in bowling alleys increased by 42% and spending in arcades was up 17%.
Bank of Ireland said that social spending, which dipped 5% in June, rebounded in July to record a positive spending improvement of 16% overall, with restaurant spending rising by 12%, pub spending up 9% and fast-food spending increasing by 7%.
On a county basis, spending in July saw Galway and Monaghan leading the way with increases of 4%, while spending in Leitrim was flat.
There were also increases in Cavan (+3%), Clare (+3%), Dublin (+3%) and Kerry (+3%), with the overall nationwide spending pattern mirroring that of July 2022.
In person spending accounted for 58% of overall spending last month, with 42% outlay recorded online, today's survey also shows.
Jilly Clarkin, Head of Customer Journeys & SME Markets at Bank of Ireland, said that with July being the wettest month on record it is not surprising that people flocked indoors to escape the rain.
"Book stores (+18%) and bakeries (+15%) recorded spending boosts in July, but it was the outlay in cinemas that really stole the show," she said.
"The "Barbenheimer" movie phenomenon was certainly well-timed for people looking to escape the damp and dreary conditions, and the 136% monthly uplift in cinema spending is a real standout figure," she added.
