Consumer Market Monitor | UCD Quinn School

The Consumer Market Monitor is a service provided by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in collaboration with the Marketing Institute of Ireland. It is designed to track key indicators of confidence and activity in the Irish consumer market as a resource for marketers and the wider business community.

It is based on a compilation of data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Central Bank, the European Commission, and other secondary sources. The added value rests in the fact that the information is brought together in a single location and presented in a way that is easy to interpret and use for market analysis and sales planning.

It starts by reviewing consumer confidence which has a key influence on the level of spending in the market. It then reviews consumer expectations with regard to future purchases of big ticket items including houses, cars and home improvements. This is followed by a review of actual spending, saving, and borrowing of various types. It then provides information on retail spending in total and for several major product categories

Pictured is the author of the monitor Mary Lambkin, Professor of Marketing at UCD College of Business.

2020 Reports

Consumer Market Monitor Q1 2020 - Numbers highlight the damage done to the Irish economy as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown

2019 Reports

CMM Report 2019 Quarter 1 - UK imports to overtake Irish new car sales for first time

Consumer Market Monitor Q3 2019 - Irish Online Shopping To Reach New High Of €16 Billion

2018 Reports

Consumer Market Monitor Q4 2018 - Property Market Grows 8%, With Almost Half of Homes Bought With Cash

- Looming deadline for Home Renovation Incentive drives household spending

- Brexit negatively affects new car sales in Ireland

- Despite the rebound in Irish consumer spending, professional and technical services still lag 13% behind 2007 peak

2017 Reports

- Increase in consumer spending in Ireland – but still in the shadow of Brexit

- Despite Brexit Uncertainties, Ireland’s 2017 economic performance set to surpass 2016

- Sales of Household goods are soaring, depsite housing storage

2016 Reports

- Consumer Spending In Ireland Unaffected By Brexit

- Consumer spending in Ireland takes a Brexit hit

2015 Reports

- Strong consumer confidence has begun to feed through into consumer spending

- The consumer economy is now recovering rapidly

- “Big ticket” spending – new cars, homes and furniture driving miraculous economic recovery

- Strong consumer economy growth back to 2007 levels

2014 Reports

Q2 Report - Conditions facing Irish consumers have been very tough over the past six years.

Q3 Report - The Central Bank projects an increase of 1.4% in volume of consumption for 2014, and a slightly stronger growth of 1.6% for 2015

2013 Reports

Q1 Report - Borrowing levels reducing steadily.

Q2 Report - Some recovery is expected for the remainder of this year due to a gradual improvement in labour markets.

Q3 Report - Over the the past five years Ireland has seen a decline in disposable income.

Q4 Report - There were some signs of recovery in 2013.