News grid

Editor GILLIAN HAMILL (01) 294 7776 gillian.hamill@mediateam.ie

Staff journalist JULIA O’REILLY (01) 294 7709 julia.oreilly@mediateam.ie

Contributors CAROLINE MCENERY FIONNUALA CAROLAN BARRY WHELAN COLIN GORDON

Head of business IAN MULVANEY (01) 294 7766 ian.mulvaney@mediateam.ie

Account manager MARK MORGAN (01) 294 7767 mark.morgan@mediateam.ie

Circulation subs@mediateam.ie

Publisher JOHN McDONALD (01) 294 7744 john.mcdonald@mediateam.ie

Printing W & G Baird Ltd

ShelfLife is a controlled circulation magazine, available to selected individuals with interests in the retail and wholesale grocery trade, who fall within the publisher’s terms of control. For those outside these terms, annual subscription is €98.00 including postage & packing.

Retailers’ needs must be heard as indoor dining presses ahead

As ShelfLife headed to print, there was but one topic dominating discussion; the government’s plans to bring in legislation that would enable more than two million people to dine indoors, provided they have been vaccinated or had a recent Covid infection. Naturally, the move has sparked a number of responses; ranging right across the spectrum from delight to disgust. How the new measure will be policed will be foremost in the minds of hospitality and foodservice operators. And as the CSNA points out on page 10, this will be a particularly pertinent concern for those who have already felt the brunt of so-called anti-maskers’ ire, as so many of our readers have unfortunately experienced.

The government has said it wants the legislation in place by Friday, 23 July, or the following Monday, 26 July, at the latest, using the European Union digital Covid certificate as the main form of proof.

While gardaí are unlikely to be patrolling restaurants in a quest to check vaccination status. it is envisaged that the Health and Safety Authority and the Health Service Executive will be able to carry out compliance checks, which are permitted under the act. Those who forge certificates will be eligible for fines of up to €2,500, with heavier penalties for establishments found to be flouting rules.

Due to the threat posed by highly infectious variants such as Delta and Lambda, it is of course essential to avoid a potential fourth wave at all costs and retailers will continue with the stringent hygiene and safety measures they have adopted since the start of this pandemic. However, as always ShelfLife will join with voices such as the CSNA in highlighting the specific needs of our sector, where throughput and dwell time vary enormously from the consumer patterns of pubs and restaurants. Gillian Hamill, editor, ShelfLifemagazine

Contents July

24 10 12 54

Managing Director JOHN McDONALD; Sales Director PAUL BYRNE Operations Director BILLY HUGGARD

Published monthly by Mediateam Ltd., 55 Spruce Avenue, Sandyford, Dublin 18. A94 RP22 Telephone (01) 294 7776 Fax (01) 294 7799 ISSN: 1393 0753

Circulation audited by Audit Bureau of Circulations.

COVER STORY

24 Life in the tobacco and vapour trade: Adrian MacSweeney, trade marketing manager for BAT Ireland, speaks about working in an ever-changing industry

NEWS&ANALYSIS

4 News grid 6 Seen and heard 10 CSNA news 11 Dan White looks into the corporate feeding frenzy for supermarket chains in the UK, and asks whether a similar fate could occur here? 18 Mace store profile

Following a stunning renovation, Mace Cullens in

Co. Sligo is delighting the local community with the range and value available 22 Tackling staff shortages:

Julia O’Reilly asks how retailers can combat staff

shortages in an increasingly competitive market 28 Centra store profile:

Donal Hickson, owner of

Centra Kilmeaden, speaks to

Fionnuala Carolan about his store’s revamp 34 NOffLA news

ADVISOR

14 Marketing: Marketers must re-examine how truly dynamic their channel strategy is, writes

Colin Gordon

30 HR: Caroline McEnery outlines why it’s vital that all aspects of the probationary

period are clearly outlined and adhered to within the employment contract 32 Recruitment: Cultivating emotional intelligence in today’s workplace can seem overwhelming, but the rewards are well worth the effort, writes

Barry Whelan

MARKETING& CATEGORY FOCUS

36 Back to School 46 Vegan 56 Personal care 62 Market movers