Local gift cards are boosting millions of euro in spending in Irish towns and cities, according to new data from fintech Miconex.
The Irish Town & City Gift Cards network has announced €17.4m in sales in the country in 2025, an increase of 65% on 2024.
Cards have to be spent in person, driving footfall and spend to participating businesses, including big brands and independent businesses, across a range of sectors.
Figures from Miconex have estimated that the €17.4m will drive 335,000 specific visits to high streets and shopping districts in 2026, based on estimates of 3 trips into town per gift card.
A number of chambers and business organisations have upgraded their paper ‘shop local’ programmes to high tech physical and digital gift cards alongside Miconex.
Chairperson of Donegal Town Business Focus Group, Gareth Britton, described the transition to the new gift card with Miconex as “a positive move.”
” Sales were very strong in 2025, which is down to the new card and how easy and convenient it is to use,” he said.
There are currently 16 Town & City Gift Cards initiatives in Ireland with more set to launch in the year ahead.
Mullingar Chamber introduced their paper vouchers in 2012, switching to the Mullingar Gift Card with Miconex in early 2025.
“Having only joined the gift card scheme in March, it has already delivered a €60,000 increase in sales and generated huge interest from businesses eager to come on board,” said Lauren Gregory from Mullingar Chamber.
” The move away from a paper voucher scheme was a real game-changer, particularly during the busy Christmas period,” she added.
Miconex research show that corporate sales were a key driver of gift card sales in 2025, driven by the increase in the Small Benefit Exemption to €1500 in January 2025.
Gift Card & Voucher Association data shows the popularity of multi-store gift cards like Town & City Gift Cards continues to increase.
It says that rise is partially attributed to a consumer hesitancy to commit to a single brand gift card.
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, said many of their clients are ‘shop local pioneers.”
“They have put their trust in us to evolve their paper vouchers into high tech physical and digital gift cards that meet the needs of today’s customers – or even to start a new gift card from scratch,” said Mr Munro. “Their vision is paying dividends as shop local sales soar across the country.
In addition to its 16 programmes in Ireland, Miconex operates 97 Town & City Gift Cards programmes in the UK and 72 Downtown Gift Cards initiatives in Canada and the USA.
