Consumers in Cavan have no price limit when it comes to love, according to latest research which suggests they were happy to spend the most in Ireland on romantic items on Valentine’s Day.
Bank of Ireland’s (BOI) Spending Pulse shows that romantic residents of County Cavan spent 126% more on romantic items this Valentine’s Day compared to last year.
While Cavan led the counties of Ireland in Valentine’s Day spending, it was closely followed by the residents of Offaly (+49%); Wicklow (+38%); Roscommon (+29%) and Sligo (+29%), who also splashed out more on romantic gifts.
Other counties seemed less in the mood for love according to BOI’s Spending Pulse, which analysed debit and credit card spending across the country. It also revealed that Waterford residents spent 35% less this Valentine’s Day compared to last year.
Leitrim (-28%), Kerry (-18%) and Kilkenny (-12%) also experienced drops in Valentine’s Day spending this year.
The top romantic gifts that people across the country purchased this year included spa breaks (+62%); grooming and beauty (+58%); jewellery (+47%), chocolates (+46%), perfume (+13%) and flowers (+3%) this year.
Jilly Clarkin, head of customer journeys and SME markets at Bank of Ireland said: “Forget Paris or Rome, Cavan was the place to be for Valentine’s Day this year.
“Those claiming that romance is dead need only look at Cavan to know that people were happy to splash out on Valentine’s Day.
“Whether it was a nice bouquet of flowers, a hotel break, or perfume, consumers proved once more that they’re romantics at heart and they’ll go the extra-mile on February 14.”
Clarkin said that analysis from the BOI digital team also revealed a three percent weekly spike in logins to its digital channels, which includes the mobile app and 365online, the day after Valentine’s Day (February 15).
She said that this shows Irish lovebirds are “still keeping a close eye on their financial wellbeing no matter how Cupid continues to fire his arrow”.