# Consumerism

All time

Voices

Opinion: 'I find Christmas so false. It’s all veneer, folks'

Nearly everything about it is imported and constructed, writes Michael Fortune.

26.6k

103

Dec 8th 2017, 7:00 AM

# running errands

"Cathedrals of consumption": A history of shopping in Ireland

A series of lectures and an exhibition will outline Ireland’s consumer cravings from Georgian Dublin to modern-day neon shopfronts.

9.2k

Mar 10th 2014, 7:15 AM

Voices

Video blog: A brief history – Christmas, cheer, and commercialisation

What’s the true meaning of this holiday, again?

Dec 15th 2013, 12:00 PM

# Stigma

10 signs that you are addicted to shopping

It might sound like a joke – but the stress, debt and emotional dependence is nothing to laugh about.

12.8k

Apr 6th 2013, 12:00 PM

# nearly new

10 things you're better off buying used

Some tips to get you upcycling, reusing and getting more for your money: and we’d like your suggestions too…

22.0k

Mar 2nd 2013, 9:45 AM

# Companies

10 consumer trends for this coming year

Trendspotting firm trendwatching.com has been watching the way the wind blows for companies (and consumers) in 2013.

18.7k

Jan 6th 2013, 12:00 PM

# Online Shopping

SuperValu launches country's first grocery shopping app

Now you can do your weekly shop from your smartphone.

15.2k

Jan 3rd 2013, 6:45 AM

# gentle persuasion

Irish ads of yore that we don't mind at all

There are no ads on RTÉ today… but if there were, we wouldn’t be charmed if they were like these ones from the turn of the 19th century.

8.8k

Dec 25th 2012, 11:30 AM

Voices

Lisa McInerney: Don't feed the Grinch - Christmas is meant to be over the top

We overspend, not because we’re greedy or worried we’ll be ostracised if we don’t, but because we love how generosity feels.

Dec 17th 2012, 7:00 AM

# hug a hoodie

PHOTOS: Teens queue as Abercrombie and Fitch store opens its doors in Dublin

Yes, it’s only a shop – but don’t tell that to the large group who queued in the cold just to be among the first to enter the Abercrombie and Fitch store.

42.4k

Nov 1st 2012, 4:19 PM

# open thread

Have your say: What should we do to rein in our spending?

Is our culture suffering from an epidemic of consumerism? What should we do to make sure we’re shopping sensibly? Let us know here…

5.3k

Mar 10th 2012, 6:03 PM

Voices

Column: We’re spending our money, then throwing things away. Why?

We buy cheap, we don’t repair the things we buy – and we’re wasting our money on ‘retail therapy’ that won’t make us happy, writes Anne B Ryan.

Mar 10th 2012, 6:00 PM

# Spending

Visa card spending in Ireland up by 48pc last year

Irish people spent €13 billion on Visa cards last year, while the number of transactions on Visa cards grew by 76 per cent.

2.5k

Jan 17th 2012, 11:24 AM

# Consumer Affairs

Central Bank unveils stronger consumer protection code

The new code, which comes into effect in January, is billed as the most significant upgrade of consumer protection since 2006.

601

Oct 19th 2011, 7:15 AM

# Doom and Gloom

Front-loaded budget ‘could push economy to breaking point’

The KBC/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index is virtually unchanged, but shows a worrying emerging trend in the medium term.

1.1k

Sep 6th 2011, 12:00 PM

# Spending

European consumers are starting to spend more... except in Ireland and Portugal

Figures from Visa show that European consumers increased spending by 2.5 per cent in Q2… but that bailed out states were down.

436

Sep 5th 2011, 4:05 PM

# Consumerism

Summer sales fail to bring out the shoppers

KBC says consumer sentiment fell in July, despite aggressive price cuts by retailers, with shoppers fearing for the future.

303

Aug 10th 2011, 12:17 PM

# Savings

Hopes for recovery take a blow as Irish consumers increase savings

The Nationwide/ESRI savings index shows a significant increase in the amount of cash that worried consumers are keeping aside.

563

Aug 9th 2011, 11:36 AM

# Supermarkets

Is Tesco allowed to hike its prices and then just drop them again?

The answer: well, legally, yes – as long as the ‘higher’ prices have been imposed for long enough.

2.3k

Mar 29th 2011, 9:37 PM