Spike in Beauty Spa, Cinema and Sports Club Spending During Final Weeks of School Holidays

• Kneecap and Deadpool & Wolverine movie releases boost cinema spending
• Beauty spa spending up 25% compared to same period in 2023
• Boat rental, campsite and sports club outlay rises despite dreary August weather

As parents looked to keep their children busy during the final few weeks of the school holidays, the latest Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse analysing debit and credit card spending (5 – 18 August) reveals that outlay rose significantly in sports clubs, beauty spas and cinemas.

With hit movies such as Kneecap and Deadpool & Wolverine hitting Irish movie theatres in late summer it was no surprise to see cinema spending spike by 10% when compared to a similar two-week period in 2023.

Big screen entertainment was one way to keep the kids happy, whilst others opted for outdoor pursuits instead, with spending in sports clubs (GAA, Soccer, Tennis) increasing by 50%, boat rentals by 23%, campsites and trailer parks by 14% and amusement parks up 9% during the same period.

Spending in beauty spas went up by 25%, suggesting that while the kids were off playing sports or watching movies parents enjoyed a treatment or beauty therapy session of their own after a long summer. And the rush to kit the kids out in the school uniforms saw spending in family clothing stores go up by 11%.

Total spending rose by 3% year on year, with social spending going up by 4% and overall retail spending rising by 3%. Fast-food outlay went up 6% as kids tucked into burgers and chips before returning to school packed lunches, and bakery spending spiked by 20% as sweet treats were devoured before regular routines restarted.

Commenting on Bank of Ireland’s August’s Spending Pulse, Jilly Clarkin, Head of Customer Journeys & SME Markets at Bank of Ireland said: “It’s a long summer for a lot of families and the struggle to constantly keep children entertained is real! With that in mind and following a spell of Irish weather that could only be described as average at best, it is not surprising to see spending in sports clubs and cinemas spike during August, and the general uptick in consumer outlay provided a welcome boost for businesses across Ireland.”

“Those who pitched their tents or bundled into mobile homes in campsites nationwide are also to be applauded, with the lack of sunshine evidently not proving to be a hindrance as long as a change of scenery was provided. With a new school term about to begin a sense of normality will resume in many homes, as homework comes back on the agenda and memories of the summer break begin to fade.”

BoI debit and credit card transactions: 5 – 18 August 2024 vs. 7 – 20 Aug 2023

• Sports clubs +50%
• Beauty Spas +25%
• Family clothing stores +11%
• Record Stores +10%
• Cinemas +10%
• Car rental +6%
• Dance schools +5%
• Aquariums +4%