Clare businesses claim “Caution is definitely in the air” among consumers in this county.
It comes as a new report has found Irish business confidence to be at its lowest level since the pandemic.
Grant Thornton’s report reveals that confidence among firms in Ireland has dropped to 54%.
This is the lowest it’s been at since the Covid-19 pandemic and is notably down from 81% at the start of last year.
By contrast, global business optimism currently stands at 74%, but this has seen a decrease of 2% since early 2025.
Patrick Bourke of Patrick Bourke Menswear in Kilrush and Ennis says customers are more reluctant to make large purchases.
The report comes at a time when many businesses are adapting to modern methods, with its findings stating that over half of respondents plan to invest in technology to drive productivity.
Ennis Chamber CEO Margaret O’Brien says, meanwhile, the way people shop is rapidly changing.
Listen to the full interview here