One in five to shop in North, says survey
One in five motorists in the Republic plan to driving across the border for Christmas shopping this year, according to a new poll.
Despite evidence by Retail Ireland that cross-border shopping is abating in 2010 due to high fuel prices and the weakened euro, the results of an AA Motor Insurance poll indicate that 20% will take a shopping trip to the North between now and Christmas.
A further 6% said that they will do some or all of their Christmas shopping elsewhere in the UK.
Cross-border shopping proved a contentious issue among respondents with some labelling the practice as unpatriotic.
Inversely a number of people argued that southern prices are driving them across the border as they strive to make their 2010 Christmas euro go further. Others admitted to keeping an eye on the fluctuating exchange rate before making up their minds.
More positively, 63% of respondents in the AA Motor Insurance poll said that they will do their shopping locally this Christmas.
