The Daily Star Ireland
AIB has revealed that customers spent €3.8 billion in December 2023 across both in-store and online purchases. Men were found to be most active in their Christmas shopping on Saturday, December 23, between 12pm and 1pm. The data, based on over 78 million card transactions, showed a significant rise in spending, with December 22 marking the busiest shopping day of the year, registering a 130% increase in spending compared to the previous year. This day saw 2.9 million transactions and €121 million spent in physical stores.
The peak time for in-store shopping on December 22 was from 3pm to 4pm, with nearly €12 million spent during that hour. In contrast, women were shown to have spent more than men in the lead-up to Christmas, though men were particularly active during the final rush on December 23.
The same day, December 23, was also the busiest day for pubs, with €6.3 million spent—just slightly less than the St. Patrick’s Day record. Men were responsible for 65% of pub spending. Additionally, grocery shopping peaked on December 23, with €42 million spent in stores, marking a 66% increase from the previous Saturday. The majority of grocery spending, 93%, took place in stores, highlighting the continued reliance on physical shops for Christmas shopping.
In terms of regional spending, residents of Meath were the biggest spenders, averaging €661, followed by Kildare and Wicklow. Donegal had the lowest average spend, at €537.
Adrian Moynihan, AIB’s head of consumer, noted that Christmas is a critical time for many businesses, and the final days of shopping saw a significant increase in activity. Retailers are particularly busy on December 22 and 23, with nearly six million transactions processed over those two days in 2023. Retail in-store shopping not only boosts Irish businesses but also helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping.
