Ireland

In 2023, full-service restaurants in Ireland played a pivotal role within the broader foodservice market, contributing 30% share to total value sales. Full-service restaurants rebounded to 2019 levels in terms of value in 2023, achieving a recovery…

According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), only 13% of Irish children fulfil the national physical activity recommendations, with at least one in five children being overweight or obese. Due to increasing concerns surrounding the topic, the…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

The performance of general merchandise stores in Ireland in 2023 was being supported by the positive trajectory of department stores. There was a strong rebound in department stores in 2022, following the disruptions seen during the era of the…

Functionality has been the defining trend within soft drinks in 2022, with products being fortified with ingredients such as vitamins and zinc. Post-pandemic trends have led consumers to look for improved nutrition to support their immune system and…

In 2023, the economic situation limited growth for men's grooming in Ireland. Irish consumers suffered from high inflation and declining GDP growth, eroding their purchase power. Consequently, many consumers moved away from purchasing male-specific…

Self-service cafeterias in Ireland experienced 11% current value growth in 2023, although sales, transactions and outlet numbers remained below pre-pandemic levels. Several factors drove the channel’s growth. First of all, the business sector…

Retail e-commerce continued to stabilise in Ireland in 2023, following the significant boom seen during the era of the pandemic, when both consumers and retailers alike were forced to embrace the online channel. Whilst footfall has returned to…

Retail adult incontinence in Ireland registered solid growth in volume growth in 2023, with both light adult incontinence and heavy/moderate adult incontinence performing well. Rising levels of obesity in Ireland, combined with an ageing and…

Despite Ireland remaining loyal to its tea-drinking heritage, exemplified by positive performances for Barry’s Tea and Lyons in recent years, local consumers are following health and wellness trends and shifting towards fruit/herbal tea, as the…

Home products specialists saw stagnant growth in Ireland in 2023. This is attributed to the boom in home improvements over the pandemic lockdowns, which has since eased off. Added to which, inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis are…

Nappies/diapers/pants in Ireland witnessed only marginal volume growth in 2023, with newborn nappies/diapers and standard nappies/diapers both seeing declines. The long-term trend of falling birth rates is reducing demand for nappies, especially for…

Sales in small local grocers start to creep up again in Ireland in 2023. However, some challenges remain, as this channel also faces competition from other retail options. Whilst small local grocers tend to offer proximity convenience to consumers,…

Tissue and hygiene registered solid retail volume growth in 2023, reflecting the strong consumer demand for tissue and hygiene in Ireland. Overall consumption has lowered compared to 2022 levels, as demand patterns normalised within the tissue and…

In 2023, street stalls/kiosks in Ireland was the best performing consumer foodservice channel in terms of value sales growth. This was mainly due to it being one of the most negatively impacted during the pandemic. Therefore, sales and transactions…

In 2023, cafés/bars in Ireland accounted for a 37% value share of total foodservice sales. Despite a positive performance during the year, the channel did not fully recover to pre-pandemic sales levels, mainly due to the slower rebound by bars/pubs,…

In 2023, economic factors have shaped the performance of mass beauty and personal care in Ireland. High inflation, rising prices in energy and transport, and a declining GDP growth have all had an impact on sales, with shrinking disposable incomes…

Appliances and electronics specialists saw sales plummet in Ireland in 2023, following positive growth in 2022. This slump is attributed to consumers seeing lower spending power due to inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis, whereas in…

Apparel and footwear specialists maintained double-digit value growth in 2023, following a significant sales boom the previous year. The 2022 sales boost was attributed to this being the first full year without pandemic-related restrictions, driven…

Energy drinks is projected to continue to see strong off- and on-trade volume growth over 2023. Consumers increasingly looked for drinks that can help them to give the best of themselves. The penetration of energy drinks in Ireland remained quite…

Consumers lifestyles have shifted back to normality in 2023, with individuals spending more time outside the home and doing more team sports. This has generated a greater need for quick and convenient solutions for minor traumas, including sticking…

The available lodging for tourists has declined in 2023 as compared to 2019. The reduction in capacity is a direct result from the government’s reliance on tourist accommodation to house those seeking refuge, followed by new legislation impacting…

Travel in Ireland has continued to recover in 2023, despite the challenges presented by high inflation and a drop in household budgets. In fact, summer bookings have approached pre-pandemic levels with consumers keen to travel again after a few years…

Sports drinks remained still quite a small category in Ireland at the end of the review period, but it continued to grow fast in off-trade volume and current value terms. In the wake of the COVID-19 experience, many consumers have shifted towards to…

RTD coffee continued to grow fast in Ireland in 2023. Convenience and indulgence factors have contributed to the rise in popularity of iced coffee. Moreover, busy lifestyles and the desire for refreshing caffeinated options have led to increased…

As one of the freest countries in the world, Ireland’s private sector enjoys considerable economic freedom, whilst state finances are solid. Robust economic momentum is giving way to a slowdown, as inflationary pressures persist, although exports…

Eye care category sales continue to post relatively solid retail volume growth in 2023, despite the high costs of living that is putting a squeeze on consumption in Ireland. Many people are still regularly working remotely and frequently choosing to…

In 2023, Ireland's beauty and personal care landscape was influenced by high inflation rates, with economic uncertainty shaping consumer spending. Consumers focused on essential items in response to declining disposable incomes, leading to a fall in…

Off-trade volume sales of juice were under pressure in Ireland in 2023, largely due to the health and wellness trend. Irish consumers were more conscious of the nutritional aspects of their drinks. Thus, the high sugar content of juice counted…

Baked goods has seen a significant shift in consumer preferences, with an increasing demand for plant-based and vegan alternatives over traditional products. This trend is primarily fuelled by the growing awareness of the health and environmental…

General anxiety related to economic uncertainty, the high cost of living and the war in Ukraine is improving the popularity of sleep aids in 2023. Many consumers are also back to hectic everyday lifestyles, with commuting, longer working hours and a…

2023 has marked a significant recovery of inbound arrivals to Ireland. Inbound arrivals are projected to reach 89% of pre-pandemic levels in terms of number of trips by the end of 2023. Visitors from mainland Europe and North America are driving the…

The pandemic strengthened an already growing health and wellness trend within cooking ingredients and meals in Ireland. The HFSS (High Fat, Salt and Sugar) regulations, which were unveiled in December 2021 by the Advertising Standards Authority for…

In 2023, packaged staple foods in Ireland saw a significant shift in consumer behaviour and industry dynamics. Traditional favourites such as potatoes, bread, meat, eggs and fish remain the most commonly consumed staple foods. However, increased…

Dermatologicals is seeing solid current value growth in 2023, driven in part by higher retail prices. The category is benefiting from a return to normal daily lifestyles following the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers’ skin is being more exposed to…

Analgesics sales are returning to more normal patterns in 2023, following the fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp price rises seen in 2022. On balance, current value growth rates are still elevated compared to pre-pandemic…

The lingering economic effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis have been exacerbated by high inflation towards the end of the review period. This has exerted strong upward pressure on product prices and the cost of living, which tempered demand,…

One of the most important trends in baby food in Ireland in 2023 was the increased focus on health and wellness, which manifested most clearly in the increasing interest in clean label products and those with functional ingredients. With consumer…

Vitamin sales patterns are returning back to normality in 2023, following the surge in demand at the height of the pandemic period, although high inflation remain an issue. The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged consumers to take better care of their…

In 2023, despite rising inflation and growing price consciousness, baby and child-specific products in Ireland recorded positive retail volume growth. Many consumers continue to spend and invest in products for children during economic uncertainty,…

Leisure and travel, increasing in value sales terms by 14% and 12% respectively, were the most impressive performers in terms of consumer foodservice locations in 2023, as consumer spending rose and travel patterns returned to greater levels of…

Retail coffee in Ireland continued to see growth in volume terms during 2023, albeit at a slower rate than in previous years of the review period. The main reason for growth is the increasing penetration of coffee in Irish households. Ireland is said…

With Irish consumers increasingly opting for healthier hydration options, the health trend continued to drive up the demand for bottled water in both the on- and off-trade channels. More and more consumers reduced their consumption of other types of…

In 2023, breakfast cereals saw a significant shift towards online sales, a trend that was largely driven by the rise of e-commerce and home delivery services. The COVID-19 pandemic played a crucial role in this transition, as local consumers…

The year 2023 is shaping up to be another strong year for sports nutrition in Ireland. Daily routines are back to normal following the removal of all pandemic-related restrictions, with consumers back into gyms and other sporting venues, driving the…

Consumer health is witnessing another strong performance in 2023 as the category continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic following the removal of all pandemic-related restrictions. As Irish people shift back to normal living habits without…

2023 has seen a significant recovery in terms of inbound arrivals to Ireland with the number of trips set to reach 89% of pre-pandemic levels. With COVID-19 restrictions lifted the country has begun welcoming back visitors from key source markets…

Sales in health and beauty specialists slumped into a negative performance in Ireland in 2023, following a positive pattern in 2022. We note that the 2022 growth was primarily driven by the growing health and wellbeing and preventative health trends,…

Irish dairy products are perceived as offering exceptional quality across the world, with a high rate of exports among local products which strengthen the Irish dairy brand perception – Ireland has been classified as the EU’s leading exporter of…

In 2023, retail volume sales of cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Ireland continued their downward trend. While cigars and cigarillos are not subject to as many tax increases as cigarettes, in comparison to some other European countries they…