News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Dublin aerial view with Liffey river and O'Connell bridge during sunset

Real economy to continue to grow this year - Davy

There will be continued strong growth in the real economy between this year and 2027, according to forecasts by stockbroker Davy.

Business • 11 Jul

It's absolutely fair to say that any talk of the demise of bricks and mortar is definitely not true, particularly here in Ireland, according to Colette Devey, EY Ireland Consumer Sector Lead

Majority of Irish consumers prefer physical stores

A large majority of Irish consumers (70%) still prefer in-person shopping for essentials, with 83% favouring physical stores for fresh food, while 74% prefer them for personal care items.

Business • 02 May

"It's fears rather than a current deterioration in the financial circumstances that are driving the change in sentiment" - Economist, Austin Hughes

Consumer confidence drops to nine month low

Irish consumer confidence dropped to a nine month low in March, according to the Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey.

Business • 28 Mar

The day before Valentine's day was the second busiest day of the year for buying flowers last year, according to the AIB Spend Trend 2024

Mother's Day trumps Valentine's Day for flower spend

Valentine's spend in florists peaked between 4pm and 5pm on the 14th February last year, according to the 2024 AIB Spend Trend. It found the peak happened as people made a last minute dash on the way home from work, with men accounting for 85% of the spend.

Business • 14 Feb

Wizz Air made headlines with its 'all you can fly' offer - but there are lots of terms and conditions that make it less attractive than it seems

Too Unlimited: Are 'all you can eat' offers good value?

There are a growing number of 'all you can eat' offers - from phones to flights to cafés - but the devil is always in the detail, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 16 Sep 24

Buying an expensive coffee or adding a few high-end groceries into your weekly shop is all part of 'little treat' culture

Treat Yo' Self: Why 'little treats' are now big business

'Little treat' culture highlights the economic No Man's Land that young adults now find themselves in, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 22 Aug 24

Grocery price inflation picks up again - Kantar

Grocery price inflation has picked up for the second month in a row, according to the latest figures from Kantar.

Business • 19 Aug 24

Customers want discounts and competitive prices - but also say they are willing to pay more for quality goods

Customers cutting costs but still value quality - survey

A new survey from KPMG highlights the challenge retailers and brands face in balancing price competitiveness and quality.

Business • 04 Jun 24

Consumers were feeling slightly better about their own finances, but were less confident about the outlook for the general economy, today's latest consumer sentiment survey shows

Consumer sentiment improves but anxiety remains

Consumer sentiment improved slightly in December and was significantly higher year-on-year, according to the latest report by the Irish League of Credit Unions.

Business • 21 Dec 23

Netflix was a novelty when it launched here in 2012 - now there are more than 10 streaming services to choose from

Background Bills: The hidden cost of subscriptions

Subscription services have exploded in popularity in the past decade – meaning we may be paying much more for them than we realise, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 23 Nov 23

Apart from France, spending by Irish consumers abroad fell

Rugby fans contribute to spending spike in France

Irish rugby fans contributed to a spending spike in France when they attended Ireland's matches in Bordeaux, Nantes and Paris in September.

Business • 13 Oct 23

Last year Irish people were the third biggest online shoppers in Europe (stock image)

'Dark patterns' identified as online shopping pitfall

Irish online consumers can be led into over consumption, over indebtedness and may lose out on fair pricing and terms due to online e-commerce practices by some sellers, according to the European Consumer Centre Ireland.

Ireland • 15 Mar 23

Loyalty fee: The price of retailers' reward cards

Loyalty cards and retailers' rewards apps may seem like a way of saving money or getting the best deal – but they're probably taking more than they give, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 22 Feb 23

Domestic tourism businesses benefitted from a rise in spending in the month, but other sectors saw a fall

Consumer spending fell in July - AIB survey

Consumer spending fell in July for the first time since January, according to a survey from AIB.

Business • 19 Aug 22

Rising energy prices weighed on the consumer mood in February, according to KBC Bank Ireland's survey

Consumer sentiment dips on inflation, conflict concerns

Consumer sentiment dipped in February, according to the latest survey from KBC Bank Ireland.

Business • 24 Feb 22

British army personnel at the BP fuel terminal in Hemel Hempstead this morning

Military begins fuel supply to UK petrol stations

British army drivers have begun delivering supplies to beleaguered petrol stations in the UK hit by a fuel crisis.

UK • 04 Oct 21

Online and mobile payments grew again between April and June

Irish shoppers increase use of electronic payments

Irish consumers' use of online and mobile payment methods has continued to increase despite the easing of restrictions on physical retail, according to Banking and Payments Federation Ireland.

Business • 10 Sep 21

The slow reopening of the economy has given consumers more confidence - but anxiety around the impact of Covid-19 remains

Consumer sentiment improves for third consecutive month

Consumer confidence grew again in July, according to new data from KBC Bank Ireland. It marks the third consecutive month of growth in the bank's sentiment index, however the rate of increase was lower than what was recorded in May and June.

Business • 20 Jul 20

Consumers were feeling slightly better about their economic outlook, though few expected to spend big over the next year

Economic confidence up in May but remains weak overall

"There may be pent up demand for certain goods and services, but there may also be some nervousness in the absence of a vaccine or in the absence of a treatment for sectors where there is more social contact," Ms O'Sullivan said.

Business • 26 May 20

Property values fell in the quarter - but households' other investments increased considerably

Households' worth rises despite dip in property values

Household's net worth reached a record high in March, according to the Central Bank, while debt levels fell to a near 14-year low.

Business • 15 Aug 19

Households in Ireland will spend €866 more during December than during any other month in the year, says Retail Ireland

Christmas 'average spend per household nearly €2,700'

Irish households will each spend €2,690 on average this Christmas, according to research by the business group Retail Ireland.

Business • 03 Dec 18

1,800 exhibitors will take part in this year's IFA at the Messe Berlin

IFA 2018: New tech on show at Europe's largest show

New smart and wireless speakers were the biggest announcements on the first day of the IFA technology show in Germany.

Technology • 30 Aug 18

Our brains' hardwiring often leads to seemingly illogical decisions

Grey matters - how our brains can cost us money

You may not realise it, but your everyday behaviour could be hurting your financial health.

Business • 07 Aug 18

Brexit and Budget on both business and consumers' minds

Bank of Ireland Economic Pulse weakens in September

Companies and households are both feeling less confident about their finances this month than they were in August, the latest monthly Bank of Ireland Economic Pulse survey shows.

Business • 25 Sep 17

Procter & Gamble's sales has been hit by the affect of the strong dollar

P&G reports sharp jump in Q4 earnings

Procter & Gamble has reported a jump in fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and predicted that sales would return to positive growth next year.

Business • 02 Aug 16