Mediascope, an in-depth analysis of media consumption on a European basis, was launched today and shows that a higher percentage of Irish are online when compared to the EU average (80% Ireland – 65% EU).

Irish people are also more likely to access the Internet using mobile devices with 32% of users in Ireland and 21% in the EU using smartphones to go online.

The Irish also index higher for shopping online (97% Ireland – 87% EU) and for ROPO - Researching online and shopping offline (88% Ireland – 79% EU)

Key findings for Mediascope in Ireland are:

A higher percentage of Irish are online in comparison to the EU average:

- 80% of all Irish are online (2.9m people),compared to EU average of 65%

- Irish Internet users spend on average 13.5 hrs online per week

Specifically in Ireland, but also across Europe, Mediascope shows that the Internet is increasingly becoming the channel of choice for consumption of other media – TV, radio, newspapers.

- 81% of Irish Internet users watch TV online (EU 73%)

- 66% of Irish Internet users listen to the radio online (EU 67%)

- 89% of Irish Internet users read news online (EU 91%)

Mobile

Another feature standing out for Ireland is how we are increasingly accessing the Internet via mobiles, tablets and game consoles.

- 32% (1.2m) of Irish go online using a mobile (EU 21%)

- 12% (0.4m) of Irish go online using a tablet (EU 8%)

Internet Influence on Purchases – online and offline:

The Internet heavily influences peoples’ perceptions of brands and products and both their online and offline purchase decisions.

- 53% of all Irish Internet users state the Internet helps them choose better products / services (EU 51%)

- 97% of all Irish Internet users shop online (EU 87%)

- 88% of all Irish Internet users research online and purchase offline (EU 79%)

- €685 is the average amount spent per person in Ireland across a 6 month period (EU €544)

The Internet is more important for Irish users when deciding to purchase certain products than EU average:

Travel Tickets 76% 57% Holidays 73% 53% Mobiles 57% 50% Financial products/ services 50% 47% Insurance 67% 39%

“Mediascope Ireland provides a detailed analysis of media consumption in the Irish market, this data provides advertisers with rich insights into their target markets’ media usage” said Suzanne McElligott, Chief Executive Officer of IAB Ireland.

‘The research highlights that Ireland’s internet penetration is higher than the EU average, also Ireland indexes higher than the EU in respect of shopping online and researching online purchasing offline (ROPO). Ireland is now punching above its weight in terms of online adoption – Mediascope proves that digital has moved centre stage as the channel of media consumption and this will in turn drive growth in Irish online advertising budgets’” McElligott predicted.