Overall spend up 11% in April, as ‘Minecraft Movie' brings bumper month for cinemas, AIB report says

12-05-2025

News
Overall spend up 11% in April, as 'Minecraft Movie' brings bumper month for cinemas, AIB report says
Megan O'Brien
08:10
The AIB Spend Trend report noted a 16 per cent rise in online spending in April. Photo: John Ohle/Coalesce

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Joe Duffy gets into full character for his first post-Liveline gig – and it's a supermarket ad

Irish Independent

07-07-2025

Irish Independent

Joe Duffy gets into full character for his first post-Liveline gig – and it's a supermarket ad

And there were some murmurs about moving to other stations. But broadcaster Joe Duffy has revealed his first post-RTÉ gig: the face of Lidl's latest ad campaign. In a humorous new ad Duffy plays the part of a jaded and hard-bitten detective uncovering suspiciously low prices. In a series titled 'Value Beyond Belief', Duffy is seen entering one of the low-cost supermarkets wearing a trilby hat, as jazz noir music plays in the background. 'I promised myself I was out,' he says. 'No more talk, no more questions, just an average Joe. But questions, they don't take no for an answer.' He continues: 'I received an anonymous tip from a woman called Margaret Mary O'Brien from Ballinasloe. She claimed the Lidl Plus app now has points and the value is so unbelievable that it must be a conspiracy.' As Duffy tries to make sense of the low price of blueberries, his calculator suddenly explodes. 'They don't want us to know Margaret,' he says, shaking his head at a surveillance camera as he leaves the store. It is the first in a three-part online series to mark the launch of the Lidl Plus app which offers shoppers extra in-store discounts. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content It is not the first time Duffy has tried his hand at acting. In 2018, he made his panto debut as the Magic Mirror in Snow White and the Adventures of Sammy Sausages & Buffy at the Tivoli Theatre. He appeared in the show as a hologram. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more He also went 'undercover' on his radio show several times to catch out con artists, scammers and swindlers. In 2023, he went under the alias of 'Peter' and caught a man pretending to be a senior executive at AIB. When the individual claimed he was not a con artist, Duffy replied; 'I didn't come up the Liffey in a donut. This is a scam. You're rumbled.' On June 27th, Duffy retired after 27 years at the helm of the popular and landmark radio show. On his final show, he described his career as a 'privilege' and thanked his listeners. There was speculation as to whether he would consider running for presidency and reports that Labour had 'put feelers out'. But last Saturday he ruled himself out of seeking a nomination, posting on social media: 'To be absolutely clear, I am NOT seeking a nomination from any politicians, local or national, for the office of President of Ireland. I will not be adding anything further.' He is not the first RTÉ star to be linked to a potential presidential bid, in 2018 Miriam O'Callaghan had to rule herself out after there had been much speculation if she would consider the role. This weekend, a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll revealed that former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness is leading the race as the favourite to be Ireland's next president. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former education minister Mary Hanafin are tied on 17pc among potential Fianna Fail candidates - if the party decides to run a candidate.. In a statement, Lidl said it hopes shoppers will enjoy the series. 'As one of the country's most prolific broadcasters, we're delighted to partner with Joe Duffy on the new 'Value Beyond Belief' film noir-inspired social series to support the launch of our new Lidl Points customer rewards scheme,' a spokesperson said.

Sonic Boom! - Record card transactions as Metallica fans nab tickets

Extra.ie

16-06-2025

Extra.ie

Sonic Boom! - Record card transactions as Metallica fans nab tickets

Fans of the heavy metal band Metallica helped push credit card transactions to a new record last month. A surge in ticket sales for the Los Angeles rockers, who play two concerts in Dublin next year, helped to drive online card sales to a new high of 80 million purchases in Ireland. Added to this were hotel room bookings, the staging of the Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park and a spell of sunny weather, which also boosted the pub spend by 10% during the month. AIB's Adrian Moynihan said: 'Consumer spending continued to grow in May. 'It was a record month for card transactions. Overall, spend was up 9% year-on-year. Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo of Metallica. Pic:'In particular, May was a busy month for concert ticket transactions with the Metallica concert going on sale towards the end of the month.' Total spending from January to May was up 9% on last year, showing consumer confidence remains strong. Heavy metal fans helped spark a surge in concert ticket sales on May 30, as tickets went on general sale for Metallica's two Aviva Stadium concerts in June next year. Ticket sales were 76% above average on the day, thanks to the band's devoted fan base. The release of movies Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stitch helped push cinema ticket sales up 17% year-on-year, while hotel spending was up 8%. Pic:for Paramount Pictures The data was compiled from 80 million card transactions carried out by AIB customers, both in-store and online, last month. Spending in pubs was up 10% month-on-month, with the largest increase in Limerick, where it was up 16%. Louth and Longford both saw increases of 15%, while the smallest increases were in Wicklow, Roscommon, and Carlow, at 7%. Mr Moynihan added: 'The good weather and events such as the Women's Mini Marathon also had a positive impact on pub and hotel spend, with the hotel sector having its busiest day of the year so far on May 31, the day of the race. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile 'Grocery spending continues to rise, with an 8% increase year-on-year, and people are enjoying spending time at home and in the garden, as DIY and hardware spend continues to stay strong, with a 6% increase on the same month last year.' The spend on hardware increased 6% year-on-year and 3% month-on-month. The electric vehicle charging spend also increased, up 83% year-on-year, while the clothing spend rose 8% month-on-month. Grocery spending increased 8% year-on-year and 4% month on month, with the largest monthly increases in Longford, Monaghan and Galway. 'This information shows consumer confidence remains strong and is vital for businesses, enabling them to plan for both peak and off-peak periods throughout the year to effectively meet their customers' needs,' said Mr Moynihan.

Business Post

12-05-2025

Business Post