Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IRISH SHOPPERS’ THRIFTY buying habits have become entrenched after the crash and it could take years before big-spending consumers make their way back to cash registers.
And it’s in the supermarket aisles where cash-strapped customers are watching their cents the most – with more than half planning to shop around for their groceries more than they are already over the next 12 months.
The findings come from the latest consumer survey for Retail Ireland, the retail arm of business lobbyists Ibec.
It revealed 40% of shoppers had put off making big-ticket purchases in the last two years and only 27% were planning a significant spend in the next year, compared to 46% who were “unlikely” to make a major buy.
We’re all about price. And those loyalty cards
When it came to doing their grocery shopping, 52% of those surveyed expected to shop around more for the basics in the next 12 months – including 30% who said they would compare prices “a lot more”.
Price was the most important factor when deciding what to buy at the supermarket for 40% of people and value-for-money was the next highest at 23%.
Only 8% listed a product being Irish-made as their key consideration, while 5% put down that environmental concerns were most important to them.
Loyalty cards were king among shoppers, according to the survey, with 47% of people admitting they used them when buying groceries, while just 3% said they used an app.
Before and after
In other findings, the survey revealed:
Time for some tax cuts then
Retail Ireland director Stephen Lynam said locals’ shopping habits that changed during the crash showed no sign of changing back and consumers remained cautious, despite getting more optimistic about their financial prospects.
“Positive economic trends mean the government finally has a chance to ease the pressure on consumers in the upcoming budget,” he said.
“Following years of painful tax hikes, income tax along with other consumer taxes should be reduced.”
The survey also said 69% of people were feeling more positive about their finances than they were 12 months ago.
Brendan Beere from Millward Brown, which carried out the research, said: “Recession-shopper behaviour has been normalised for the Irish consumer in 2014.
“While consumers are more optimistic about their financial outlook, they remain cautious, giving due consideration to all types of spend from grocery to big-ticket items.”
READ: Do strong coffee sales mean the economy is getting better?
READ: The retail sector is delighted that more part-time jobs are becoming full-time
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Poor girl. If this is true the sentence will be minimal…to add to her distress.
Worrying trend of assaults lately. And punishments are silly.
I hope she will be ok.
Totally unrelated to this story,but how come on Facebook the journal post the story of the chap stabbed to death & anyone can comment on it but nobody can comment here.
Regardless of the fact Facebook may have different rules.The main reason i see comments not allowed on the journal is for legal reasons,then why bother to post them on Facebook if it has legal ramifications ? surely the eyes of the law don’t care if its the comment section on the journal or Facebook.
Young as 10 are allowed out of the premises unsupervised. Toilets are unsupervised where a lot off the action takes place. OK I could go on. But my heart goes out to that poor girl and her family. They will get the toerags who have done but that won’t alleviate the pain for this young girl
@Warthog: How do I know this? Firstly I have a 12 yr old daughter. Secondly i have direct information from othet students, guards and bouncers. Parents are failing on their duty og care by letting their children go to these money grabbing very poorly supervised events. People should be arrested. We have a youth club underage disco where we have parents montitoring everything. Parents have to collect their children. While at the disco they are not allowed out the door unless a parent is their to collect them or they are with one of the supervising parents.
@Warthog: Messed up on the word count and lost first part of my first message… Young as 10…
Was saying before that is that these underage discos are “sex events “. Alcohol, some drugs are taken before the discos. Girls go commando. Slut runs of different varieties are normal as is the swooping of different bodily fluids. The supervision is non existent. These events need to be stopped or come under a whole new set of “care” rules. All these places want Is cash as they dont give a damn aboutvthe kids.
@Warthog: WTF is a “slut run?”
@Warthog: Ah yes I remember being 10 years old during summer time: video games, bit of soccer, riding our BMXs round the neighbourhood, and when we were too tuckered out from all that we’d snort a few lines bought with saved up pocket-money and get in the finger-bang queue down the local sex event
Sure a bit of hyperbole never hurt anyone
@Warthog: ya a friend of mine does security, and it’s truly shocking what goes on at these events. They can’t control them. And these are seasoned security personnel.
@Warthog: surely you are thinking of an older age group?? I find your comments a bit disturbing. I run a disco for 10 to 12 year olds. NONE of that happens. Where are you talking about?
Slut runs??? Wtf? Disgusting turn of phrase.
Its being reported as a gang-rape in other media. but not here.
have your say