Core Research’s latest Mindset study, based on fieldwork with 1,000 adults every month is available as a PDF download above.
October's data reveals an increasingly notable tension in the Irish consumer mindset. While people continue to find areas of positivity in their personal lives, they are becoming less optimistic about the wider environment around them.
In October’s news stories, the announcement of Budget 2027 dominated public attention. Despite this attention, concern about the cost of living remains high, with over half of adults continuing to report being very or extremely concerned. The Budget has been noticed but it sits alongside a broader cluster of stories focused on affordability, transport costs, interest rates and housing. Against the backdrop of this persistent economic noise, many consumers appear to be reserving judgement on whether the Budget measures will materially improve their day-to-day circumstances.
This complex relationship between awareness and reassurance runs throughout this month's findings.
Consumers are highly engaged with economic and policy developments, but that engagement has not yet translated into greater confidence about the future.
Instead, many appear to be adopting a ‘wait and see’ mindset, looking for evidence that announcements will lead to tangible improvements in affordability and financial wellbeing.
Interestingly, this caution is not being reflected to the same extent in people's personal emotional lives. While happiness and enjoyment have softened from their summer highs, they continue to comfortably exceed levels of stress and frustration. Consumers continue to derive positivity from their social connections, personal circumstances and everyday experiences, suggesting that many are finding ways to maintain their wellbeing despite broader concerns.
However, despite there being a more positive than negative view of some of these aspects of our lives, there has been a consistent downward trend in the Direction for four consecutive months.
Some of the perceived fundamental positives of Irish society such as our social connections have been steadily declining. With high levels of concern for economic, social and financial issues persisting, how do we as Irish people react and weather the storm if we feel the strength of our social connections is weakening?
The overarching picture is therefore not one of crisis, but of caution. From a behavioural perspective, consumers appear to be placing greater weight on signals from the wider environment than on their own immediate circumstances. While most continue to feel personally resilient, they remain unconvinced that the broader economic and social landscape is moving in the right direction.
As we move towards the end of 2026, this gap between personal wellbeing and societal confidence appears to be becoming one of the defining features of the consumer mindset.
