This wave of the Ipsos B&A Consumer Confidence Barometer was conducted from the 29th of May to the 10th June 2026.
Our fears, so apparent earlier on in the Spring, seem to have receded. While it is too early to say that we have turned a corner, there are tentative signs of green shoots.
Overall consumer confidence has “improved” to -59, compared to -61 in May (those feeling downbeat versus those feeling more upbeat). Contrast this with the -65 seen in April.
69% believe that the country will be worse off in the year ahead, with just one in ten expecting the country’s economy to improve. While still underwhelming, we are moving in the right direction (75% felt that we would be worse off two months ago, and 71% last month).
Dubliners continue to be most upbeat. As seen previously, confidence is lowest among females and those over the age of 35. C2DEs are also less sanguine.
The proportion of households who claim to be “coping” with the rising prices stands at 61% (down two points). One in five say that they are struggling to some extent – we have seen that this proportion has remained stubbornly constant for many months.
Yet unemployment is at five per cent in June; a respectable statistic.
Just over one in five (21%) believe their personal disposable income will increase over the next 12 months, compared to 41% expecting it to decline.
Nearly half (49%) think they will spend less over the year ahead, versus just one in eight (13%) planning to spend more. 38% feel that their spending patterns will remain steady, thus leading to a net gap of -35 (an improvement from -42 on May).
In terms of savings, a similar proportion (47%) expect to save less, with just one in five (21%) planning to feather their nests.
In the past month, over half have either cut back on their day-to-day expenditure or reviewed their monthly bills to identify where there are better deals available.
Interestingly, anticipated asset growth over the next 12 months has increased noticeably in June (+17 vs +8), driven by those living in the Capital
So, what worries Ireland most? The cost of living (58%) and housing (41%) are by far the most pressing issues.
Survey results are based on a sample of 1,169 adults aged 16+, quota controlled in terms of age, gender, socio-economic class, and region to reflect the profile of the adult population of the Republic of Ireland. All interviewing was conducted via Ipsos B&A’s Acumen Online Barometer.
For more information, please contact Paul Moran (Director): paul.moran@ipsos.com
