Irish consumers spending €87 a month on fashion, says survey

Two-thirds of consumers have bought from an Irish fashion brand

Zara Devlin pictured ahead of Ireland Fashion Week, wearing earrings from Ór Jewellery, waistcoat from Jack Murphy clothing, Paul Costelloe pussy bow blouse and pants. Picture: Christian Tierney.

The average Irish adult is spends €87.80 a month on fashion, with almost two-thirds of consumers having have made a purchase from a small Irish-owned fashion brand in the past year, according to a new consumer survey.

The survey commissioned by Visa for Ireland Fashion Week, which starts on Monday October 6, shows the way in which consumers are shopping for fashion is changing, with increasing digital shopping for convenience.  Some 37% of respondents said they prefer to shop online over in-store shopping as it allows them to avoid crowds and queues.

Spending at fashion businesses in Ireland rose by 3% in August compared to the previous month, according to cardholder data from Visa. Women’s accessories and sports apparel were found to be two of the fastest-growing fashion sub-sectors over the past 12 months, according to the cardholder data.  

When it comes to supporting small and medium-sized Irish fashion brands, almost a quarter (24%) of those surveyed said they prefer to buy from them over large Irish or international fashion chains.  The survey found 61% of respondents have made a purchase from a small Irish-owned fashion brand in the past year.

On average, those surveyed were found to spend €87.80 per month on fashion, with the vast majority (82%) spending up to €150 per month.  The Visa-commissioned survey found that online shopping habits are also linked to consumers’ value with 44% of people saying they deliberately choose to shop online from small Irish fashion brands, rather than international ones, to support local jobs and communities. 

"Our data shows that spending within Ireland’s fashion sector is growing, and more shoppers are seeking out, discovering, and buying from Irish fashion brands online," said Visa Ireland Country Manager Conor Langford. 

Visa Europe commissioned the research among 1,000 adults via an online survey by iReach across an even gender split.

The survey also indicates that digitalisation is changing how shoppers discover and interact with fashion brands. Over half (56%) discover new fashion labels online, highlighting the importance of having a strong online presence.