Post by AIB

Card spending by AIB customers at service stations increased 9% in the twelve months to March 2026, while electric vehicle charging spend increased by 59%. The data comes against a backdrop of global uncertainty and escalating fuel prices. The latest AIB Spend Trend for March shows spending was up 7% year on year, primarily driven by online growth of 12% as well as in-store growth of 1%. Utility bills (excluding telecoms) are up 14% over 12 months, while telecoms and pay TV services are down 2%. Second-hand fashion spend has surged over the last year. From a low base, it has increased 287% in the last 12 months, with 76% of the purchases by women. Spending on entertainment (including digital games, event tickets, cinema, sports clubs and others) performed strongly, with 9% growth, and event ticket sales up by 5%. The best day for event tickets in the first quarter of the year was Wednesday 18th March, when Olivia Dean fans were able to get the tickets they need for her two Marlay Park concerts. The data was compiled from 79 million card transactions carried out by AIB customers in store and online during March 2026 and has been anonymised and aggregated. Data provided by AIB features one of the most comprehensive and accurate data sets on consumer spending in Ireland.