July’s BofI card spend in pubs up 4%

Card spend in pubs was up 4% in July according to Bank of Ireland, with spend on restaurants showing an increase of 3%.

Both pubs and restaurants posted negative spending stats in June.

However Bank of Ireland debit and credit card spending generally in July was fairly flat, with a 1% total monthly fall recorded as a mixed picture emerged across business sectors.

There was a 2% uptick in social spending throughout July.

Overall, spending in the Retail sector was down 3% in total, with outlay on clothing (down 10%) and groceries (down 1%) but spending on petrol rose 5% as forecourt fuel prices levelled-off somewhat nationwide.

On a regional level the spending patterns were broadly flat, with similar spending levels being recorded in Limerick (down 3%), Cork (down 2%), Kildare (down 1%), Mayo (down 1%), Donegal (down 1%) and Waterford (down 1%).

“The sun was shining in July and we were doing less shopping and more socialising,” said Jilly Clarkin, Head of Customer Journeys & SME Markets at Bank of Ireland, commenting on July’s spending data, “However, the spending picture was a mixed one last month, with some sectors performing well and others flatlining or dropping slightly. This spending restraint was not just in a small number of counties, it was nationwide – and while the overall drop was small, it will be interesting to monitor over the coming months to determine if it’s becoming a trend.”

 

BoI debit and credit card transactions – July 2022 vs. June 2022

Up

Accommodation                   +5%

Pubs                                         +4%

Restaurants                             +3%

Fast Food                                +1%

Down

Clothing                                     -10%

Bus Lines                                    -8%

Transport                                   -5%

Groceries                                    -1%