‘Barbenheimer’ Movie Phenomenon Turbocharges July Cinema Spending

• Bank of Ireland’s Spending Pulse analyses debit & credit card spend
• Release of Barbie and Oppenheimer movies sparks massive cinema outlay
• Indoor activities prove popular during wettest July on record

Bank of Ireland debit and credit card spending in July 2023 rose by 3% when compared to June’s spending according to the latest Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse.

With rain falling in July on a near daily basis, consumers flocked to cinemas nationwide following the release of the blockbuster Barbie and Oppenheimer movies, as July cinema spending increased by a whopping 136% when compared to the previous month. This dramatic cinema spending surge stood in stark contrast to July 2022, when a modest +5% outlay at the movies was recorded as Ireland basked in warmer (and dryer) conditions.

Indoor activities proved to be the order of the day throughout July, with monthly spending in aquariums rising by 43%, outlay in bowling alleys going up by 42% and spending in arcades spiking by 17%. Social spending, which dipped 5% in June, rebounded in July to record a positive spending uptick of +16% overall, with restaurant spending rising by 12%, pub spending up 9% and fast-food spending increasing by 7%.

While the rain fell in Ireland in July the sun shone across mainland Europe, but that did not necessarily lead to major spending hikes in some popular holiday destinations. Dramatic heatwaves in Italy (+4%), Cyprus (+3%) and Greece (+2%), where temperatures regularly soared past 40 degrees, saw July spending increase only slightly as holiday makers sought out more temperate spots. Spending rose more steeply in France (+18%), Portugal (+14%) and Spain (+7%) however, which all contained locations where the sunshine could be enjoyed rather than viewed as a threat.

County by county spending in July saw Galway and Monaghan leading the way (both +4%), with spending in Leitrim falling flat (0%). There were also increases in Cavan (+3%), Clare (+3%), Dublin (+3%) and Kerry (+3%), with the overall nationwide spending pattern mirroring that of July 2022. In person spending accounted for 58% of overall spending last month, with 42% outlay being recorded online.

Commenting on Bank of Ireland’s July Spending Pulse, Jilly Clarkin, Head of Customer Journeys & SME Markets at Bank of Ireland said: “With July being the wettest month on record it is not surprising that people flocked indoors to escape the rain. Book stores (+18%) and bakeries (+15%) recorded spending boosts in July, but it was the outlay in cinemas that really stole the show. The ‘Barbenheimer’ movie phenomenon was certainly well-timed for people looking to escape the damp and dreary conditions, and the 136% monthly uplift in cinema spending is a real standout figure.”

“Families across the country will now be hoping that the onset of August brings about an improvement in the weather. A sustained blast of sunshine would be most welcome, and it would certainly be nice to be reflecting on a spending spike on paddling pools and ice-cream in the Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse next month.”

BoI debit and credit card transactions: July 2023 vs. June 2023