“The consequences for jobs and revenue, particularly in the Border region, are profound”

The BBC report on the Northern Bank’s Consumer Confidence Index notes that “People in Northern Ireland remain cautious about spending in the run-up to Christmas”. So it’s probably just as well that consumers in Ireland are picking up the slack here. From the Irish Times

SOME 250,000 households in the Republic are now regularly doing their grocery shopping in the North, up 25 per cent since the end of last year, according to new figures. There has also been a major increase in cross-Border alcohol shopping, the latest figures from market research firm Nielsen Ireland show. Off-licence sales in the North have risen by 30 per cent in the year to August, while off-sales in the South are down by 7 per cent.

Separately, figures compiled by InterTrade Ireland, a North-South business development body, show the proportion of Southern-registered cars in shopping centre car parks in Newry, Enniskillen and Derry has increased from 40-50 per cent over the summer to 70 per cent now. Cross-Border shopping will cost the Republic’s economy over €810 million this year, it is estimated, compared to €640 million last year and €393 million in 2007.

Pete Baker