SHOP LOCAL FEATURE 18 November 2022

in this Christmas

Did you know that the Irish online shopping market last year was worth over €7 billion?

Unfortunately we have the highest rate of cross border online shopping in western Europe with over two thirds of Irish consumers spend going overseas. This money is vacuumed out of our economy and in to other countries such as the UK, USA and China.

The more we buy overseas, we lose what’s known as the “local multiplier effect”. This general rule of thumb means that for every €100 a person spends locally, €500 recirculates into the local economy. Local spending can increase by up to that much because the money often stays within the local economy. It is spent on locally-sourced goods and services and employs people in the area, who will, in turn, spend much of their wages locally also.

While there was a definite trend of Irish shoppers increasing their spend online the past decade, COVID-19 accelerated things dramatically. According to a KPMG report last year, 68% of Irish consumers do more online shopping now

than before the pandemic. To their credit, and with the support of Government initiatives such as the Local Enterprise Office Trading Online Voucher, many local businesses managed to get online over the past few years and are now able to compete for some of that online spend. However, the challenge for many small local businesses is they do not have the financial or technical resources nor the economy of scale to compete with international retail giants such as Amazon, SHEIN or IKEA, which means they need our local support.

If we want to keep our town vibrant with great local independent retailers, our family members and friends employed and our local sports clubs funded through local business sponsorship, we should all try and keep some of our Christmas spend in the local economy. We hope you enjoy our Shop Local Christmas Feature and see what Killarney retailers and businesses are up to this year.

Our retailers and businesses need locals to buy

Shops at the heart of

Killarney has a huge mix of retailers which stock everything you need for your loved ones this Christmas.

MAIN STREET

Right in the centre of the town you'll find a range of local retailers on Main St stocking anything from menswear to books and gadgets in JMAC for the techie family and friends. Killarney Art Gallery is another good place to pop your head into as they have a huge range of framed prints with something to suit any age. Gift sets and perfumes can be found in Sheehans Pharmacy and when you're all tired out from all that walking around you can take a welcome break in either Noelle's Cafe or Rí Ra Coffee Shop in Market Lane, Reidy's for brunch or a coffee or if it's an evening meal you're after, why not have a bite in Hilliards.

NEW STREET

Whether it's a handbag, wallet or scarf you're seeking out as a gift then the Kilkenny Shop on New St is a place to stop by. Or if it's a gift for the fashion conscious then a trip to MacBees is a must. You will also find Sewells and Kennellys Pharmacy stock a range of gifts from perfume to pampering sets for him and her, while further down the street new health shop Anam Cara has a huge range of items from candles to essential oils and diffusers and bespoke Christmas gift boxes. Recently added is the Inika Organic make-up range which has 100% natural ingredients and is exclusive to Kerry. Why not call into Moriarty's Photographic Store for a personalised photo mug, or a frame?

PLUNKETT STREET

Plunkett St has an unreal mix of shops, eateries and bars that offer such variety there is definitely something there for everyone.

Killarney town centre

Set in the heart of Killarney, the town’s only fully pedestrianised street is busy day and night thanks to the mix of outlets on the picturesque roadway.

You can literally buy a television and an oil painting on the street and then sit in one of the many restaurants in the area to reflect on your purchase.

In search of a new TV for Christmas, O’Leary’s Expert has been a staple of Plunkett St for a long time.

Across the street, Reen’s Pharmacy offers a huge gift range for her and him but if you are looking for something a little different both P. Cox Photo Gallery and D O’Neill and Son have you covered.

O’Neill’s celebrated 75 years in business last August and are a fourth-generation family business and both work and live on the street.

“It is a family friendly street,” Denis, who is a third-generation, said. “There is an eclectic mix of retail and bars, from

a leather shop to the Caragh Jewellers next door to us to an art gallery. It is a long established, friendly and compact street. Christmas in Killarney have done a fabulous job on the street lights all over town but I think the best are on Plunkett St."

The food offering on the street ranges from the much loved Mike’s Take Away to Rob’s Ranch House, the Mad Monk and the Porter House and more, which have something for all tastes and budgets.

Three traditional pubs, Courtney’s, The Dunloe and the Tatler Jack offer a safe refuge from the Christmas crowds.

HIGH STREET

Maybe you're buying for your little niece or God-daughter? Check out the range of girl's clothing in Lynes of Killarney. Quills Woollen Market have a massive selection of men's items - perfect if you're buying

for the men in your life. Eagers stock toys for the little ones and while there why not pop across the road and buy a voucher for the ladies in your life from Nails and Beauty by Anita or the Sisu Clinic. If you haven't eaten by the time you get to all of that then Marguerite's is nearby or Curious Cat in New Market Lane where you can grab a take-away coffee or sit-in for some food.

COLLEGE STREET

Upper and lower College Street are two of the best areas in town to enjoy a Christmas drink or lunch. The street does offer plenty in terms of retail therapy too.

Adam’s Jewellers and Variety Sounds Irish Music Store are amongst the stand out stores on the street.

The legendary Dungeon, a favourite with Killarney people for decades, is a must visit as is Casey’s on the street corner

which is both an off licence and a record and electrical goods shop.

The food and drink offering on the street is second to none and there are so many choices it would be unfair to single out any one above the other.

Another advantage of shopping in both Plunkett St and College St is that they are served by at least three town centre car parks, the Glebe, the Fair Hill and Lewis Road are all in situ while the College St/Plunkett St intersection houses the town’s taxi rank.

OUT OF TOWN

If you haven't found what you are looking for then further afield you'll find McElligott's EZ Living Furniture and Mods and Minis in DeerPark Shopping Centre, The Beauty Boutique at The Reeks Gateway and Corcorans Furniture on the Cork Road.

GIFT IDEAS: Tina Tynan from Anam Cara Healthstore on New St has a range of gifts available in store for Christmas. Photo: Michelle Crean

VOUCHERS: Why not pop into Nails and Beauty by Anita on High St to pick up a voucher. Pictured is owner Anita Doona. Photo: Michelle Crean

CHRISTMAS STOCK: Rachel O’Gorman from D O’Neill and Son on Plunkett St holding up one of their Christmas stock.

Set against the relaxing backdrop of live piano music and served in the warm and contemporary surroundings of The Peregrine, expect a scrumptious feast of scones, cakes and pastries all with a seasonal flavour that pay tribute to the long standing tradition of Afternoon Tea.

With that in mind the Killarney Advertiser was invited by Daly’s SuperValu on Park Road to take part in a weekly shopping challenge that promised massive savings across a wide range of everyday products.

Our roving reporter Sean Moriarty was sent to the well-known supermarket with a shopping list in hand.

He was joined on the expedition by staff member Margaret Cahill.

As Sean wheeled his shopping trolley around he picked everyday items that he would buy anyway.

Breakfast cereals, fruit, a few packets of biscuits to satisfy his sweet tooth, daily lunch material like bread, cheese, butter and sliced ham were included in his store dash.

However, he was obliged to buy branded goods only. A box of Corn Flakes

SUPERVALU PRODUCTS

How to save over 60% on a weekly shop

had to carry the trademarked Kellogg’s signature, cream crackers came from Jacobs, the meat from Denny’s and bananas from Fyffes.

Margaret shadowed him the whole way around and for every branded item he chose she put a sample of SuperValu’s own-branded products into her trolley. Both trolleys were put through the checkout and the price difference was simply huge!

Examples included SuperValu’s own Corn Flakes sold for €1.05 - but the branded product cost €2.59.

Staying with breakfast foods, a 24-pack of Weetabix sold for €4.39 but the own brand variety cost significantly less at €1.05.

One litre of chilled SuperValu orange juice was €1.59 as opposed to Tropical Smooth which will set you back €3.19. No weekly shop could be without a bag of spuds. Now, we accept that potatoes are not made in food processing factories like Weetabix, ultimately they come a field somewhere in Ireland.

A small bag of roasters was between €2.50 and €3.49, or a standard can of peas… €1.55 if you want the Bachelor variety, exactly €0.90 less for SuperValu’s own.

A half-dozen box of free range eggs varied in price between €2.86 for branded and €2.25 for SuperValu's own brand.

A pot of breakfast marmalade is €2.50 cheaper when compared to one of the main leading brands. Strawberry jam…€3.05 or €0.79.

Even a simple thing like a one-kilo bag of sugar is all of €0.04 cheaper depending on the label.

Knorr Soup is about €1 dearer for a box of three sachets.

Even meat products such cooked ham suitable for the daily sandwiches came in considerably cheaper with a packet €2.25 cheaper with the plain wrapper as opposed to the branded product. A small pack of Clonakilty sausages cost €2.30 but the store's own brand comes in at €1.19.

And it is not just food where savings can be made.

Fairy Liquid is €4 while SuperValu’s equivalent is only €0.76 and you can save up to €1.80 on kitchen rolls.

By the time Sean and Margaret had finished, Sean was facing a bill of €111.73 while Margaret’s total came to €50.19. When her €10 off every €50 voucher (free when you download the SuperValu Real Rewards App) the self-branded trolley cost only €40.19. To be fair the voucher could have been applied to the dearer trolley too but €40 for a week or more’s grub is a very good result.

“Now more than ever, people have to watch their spend,” Daly's SuperValu Duty Manager Denis Tucker told the Killarney Advertiser.

“We can see from this shop that there is massive savings to be made. The quality of our own brand is excellent, so not only are savings being made but you are keeping the quality too. This is just one weekly shop, add it over the year and there are potential savings of up to €3,000.”

We can see from this shop that there is massive savings to be made.

SUPER VALUE: Killarney Advertiser reporter Sean Moriarty in Daly's SuperValu Killarney with store manager Denis Tucker and staff member Margaret Cahill. Photo: Eamonn Keogh

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