Two thirds of Irish shoppers now pay with mobile devices

A new survey conducted by BOI Payment Acceptance found that only 3% of Irish consumers do not use digital forms of payment

On average, analysts found Ireland to be a more cashless society compared to the 13 other countries surveyed, with 63% of Irish shoppers preferring to pay electronically.

Almost two-thirds of Irish consumers are now using mobile devices to make in-store payments, according to a survey conducted by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA).

A majority of those who responded to the survey (55%) said that they prefer to pay by card, suggesting that the pandemic accelerated the popularity of cashless payment methods.

On average, analysts found Ireland to be a more cashless society compared to the 13 other countries surveyed, with 63% of Irish shoppers preferring to pay electronically.

Irish consumers are also using mobile banking more than the EU average, with almost 74% of customers using mobile banking.

Digital age 

Digital wallets, or e-wallets, are online payment tools that store digital versions of credit and debit cards on mobile devices that have been growing in popularity in recent years.

BOIPA found that 65% of people now use the tool, with 38% using a digital wallet several times a day. Nearly 1 in 4 of those surveyed use a digital wallet to make an online purchase multiple times a day.

Only 15% of participants don’t use digital wallets, while only 3% do not use digital payments in any situation.

Over half of consumers prefer to pay by card.

“While the high number of people preferring digital alternatives over cash comes as no surprise, this survey offers rich insights into where Ireland fits against other markets in being a leading adopter of innovative payment options,” said BOIPA managing director Conor Quirke.

“The technological advancements within Irish banking and financial services has been matched by merchant and consumer appetite for payment solutions that make day-to-day transactions simpler and more convenient.” 

The increase was viewed positively by almost two thirds of Irish businesses surveyed by BOIPA in March.

Nearly half of the merchants surveyed (47%) expect to become fully cashless in the next ten years.