GROCER ULSTER
TM
Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry
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AUGUST 2021
N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R
GROCER ULSTER
TM
Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry
Follow us today on LinkedIn
and Facebook
AUGUST 2021
N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R
GROCER ULSTER
AUGUST 2021
N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R
TM
Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry
SECTOR WELCOMES HIGH STREET VOUCHER SCHEME
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orthern Ireland’s High Street Scheme was officially launched by Economy Minister Gordon Lyons on July 29, with sector representatives welcoming the long-awaited move and encouraging shoppers to support independent retailers. The £145m scheme will offer everyone aged 18 and over in Northern Ireland a pre-paid card worth £100 to spend on their local high street, with Prepaid Financial Services awarded the contract for its delivery and the registration process set to open in September. A Spend Local logo will feature on each of the cards. Eligibility for the scheme will not be limited to vaccinated individuals, after a proposal by Health Minister Robin Swann was rejected by the Economy Minister. “This scheme will give a very welcome boost to our high streets which were hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Lyons,
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Economy Minister Gordon Lyons
speaking at a launch event in Carrickfergus. “It will mean up to 1.4 million people will have an extra £100 each to spend on our high streets rather than online.” Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said the scheme would “create a virtuous circle of spending that supports our economy,
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boosts local commerce and gives our shoppers some retail and hospitality therapy. We would encourage everyone who is eligible to register for the scheme and make every penny count.” Glyn Roberts, chief executive, Retail NI, said: “70p in every pound spent with an independent retailer is recycled around the economy, supporting local producers, farmers and manufacturers. “So, it is vital that consumers make a special effort to spend this pre-paid card with local traders to ensure the widest possible boost to our economy.” Retail NI also met with the Economy Minister last month to raise concerns over shops facing a crisis of staff and product shortages associated with the ‘pingdemic’, urging the NI Executive to drop the selfisolation requirement for double-vaccinated pinged workers.
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GROCER ULSTER
MARKETING AWARDS 2021
MAKING MOOVES: CREATED AS AN EMERGENCY DIVERSIFICATION PROJECT, DEMAND HAS REMAINED HIGH AS LOCKDOWN EASES FOR GROCERY DELIVERY SERVICE MOO TO YOU
ULSTER GROCER MARKETING AWARDS: UNVEILING THE SHORTLIST FOR THE 33RD ANNUAL AWARDS, WITH WINNERS SET TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE CULLODEN ON SEPT 10TH
TOP 50 NI GROCERY BRANDS: OUR EXCLUSIVE ANNUAL LISTING OF THE MOST CHOSEN BRANDS IN THE LOCAL TAKE HOME GROCERY MARKET BASED ON KANTAR’S BRAND FOOTPRINT RESEARCH
FRANCHISE & FASCIA: DYNAMIC SYMBOL RETAILERS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW THEIR SHARE OF THE NI GROCERY MARKET, LED BY HENDERSON GROUP’S SPAR, EUROSPAR & VIVO BRANDS
GROCER ULSTER
TM
Over 45 years at the heart of the Northern Ireland food industry
Follow us today on LinkedIn
and Facebook
AUGUST 2021
N O. 1 M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E LO C A L G R O C E R Y S E C TO R