The Shape of Ireland’s Shopping Week: Weekday Clicks and Weekend Footfall

• New data from Visa reveals how Irish consumers are shopping across key retail categories, highlighting the continued importance of in-store spending to the Irish economy.
• Even as online retail shopping continues to grow, Irish consumers still value the in-store experience, especially when it comes to weekend browsing and spending.
• The latest retail trends reveal distinct weekly shopping patterns, with online fashion spending peaking on Sunday evenings, and online grocery orders strongest mid-week.

Dublin, 5th August 2026: Irish consumers are spending more online than ever before, but in-store shopping continues to play a central role, accounting for the majority of retail spend, according to new analysis from Visa.

The data shows a clear split between weekday online shopping and weekend in-store spending, with more than 80% of online retail spend taking place between Monday and Friday. Thursday is the most popular day for e-commerce in Ireland, accounting for over 16% of total online retail spend.

In contrast, weekends remain strongly focused on in-store spending. On a typical day in 2026 there are around six times more in-store transactions than online, rising to 7-8 times more on Saturdays.

Timely spending

Shopping habits vary significantly by category, with some retail sectors remaining strongly tied to physical stores. Grocery shopping shows one of the clearest divisions between online and in-store behaviour. Online grocery spending peaks during the latter half of the working week, particularly on Thursdays and Fridays, while in-store grocery shopping is most popular on Saturdays.

Fashion shopping is more concentrated on weekends, with one-third of all fashion spending taking place on Saturdays and Sundays. Online fashion shopping peaks on Sunday nights, with consumers most active around 9pm, showing how weekend downtime can lead to sales spikes.

For electronics, online purchases are most common during weekdays, with consumers most active on Friday mornings between 10 and 11am.

Conor Langford, Ireland Country Manager, Visa, said: “Irish consumers have embraced the speed, choice and convenience of online shopping, particularly during busy working days. However, what stands out is the continued importance of in-store shopping in supporting local businesses and communities across Ireland.

At Visa, we’re focused on helping businesses of all sizes, especially small and local retailers, access the tools and technology they need to thrive, enabling them to offer seamless, secure payment experiences both in-store and online.”

Jean McCabe, CEO, Retail Excellence Ireland, said:

“Ireland’s retail sector continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and adaptability, evolving in line with changing consumer behaviours while remaining a vital contributor to the economy and local communities. This latest data highlights how shoppers are seamlessly blending online convenience with in-store experiences. Card payments play a critical role in enabling this flexibility - helping retailers of all sizes deliver secure, seamless transactions and meet customers wherever and whenever they choose to shop.”

Regional differences

The Visa data also highlights notable regional differences in retail spending behaviour across Ireland. Clare, Cork and Dublin stand out as Ireland’s most e-commerce driven counties, with around 19% of all retail spending taking place online.

Consumers in Dublin, Kildare and Meath are the most weekend-focused shoppers, with around 31% of total spending taking place on Saturdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, consumers in more remote counties continue to show a much stronger preference for local and in-store spending. In counties including Roscommon, Carlow and Westmeath, over 83% of retail spend takes place in person, underlining the continued importance of local retailers and town-centre businesses in smaller towns across Ireland.