Retail News October 2021

Retail News OCTOBER 2021

Ireland’s Longest Established Grocery Magazine

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Contents News

Keys to the future IN this issue, we report on a broad range of trends that will define our industry going forward, from sustainability to innovation, being adaptable to changing regulation and perhaps even changing our entire mindset on how we do business.

The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, which came into force in April of this year, is the forerunner of big changes to Ireland’s work/life balance strategy, according to Barry Reynolds and Chris Ryan from DAC Beachcroft (Page 25). Employers need to prepare for an increased emphasis on flexibility, with imminent changes possibly including a right to request flexible working in connection with Ireland’s obligations under the EU Directive on Work-Life Balance.

The Northern Ireland Protocol has already had a big impact on how we do business, both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, according to Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO of Scurri (Page 32).

We report on the leaders in sustainability, the 50 Irish companies who have been awarded Gold Membership status of Bord Bia’s Origin Green (Page 36), while Paddy Carmody, Head of Marketing – Ireland, Beiersdorf, explains how Nivea’s leading position on sustainability and cruelty-free product testing has helped it to remain at the top of the skincare market (Page 46).

Finally, Cormac Byrne, Danone’s Head of Sales and Circular Economy Lead in Ireland, convincingly argues that policymakers, businesses and consumers need to get serious about reducing food waste, for the good of the entire planet and the people who inhabit it (Page 52).

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Retailers demand new page for newspaper distribution charges.

3

New CFO at Musgrave; Breakfast cereal nutrition labels need to be ‘fact checked’: FSAI.

4

Aldi Ireland win Environment Award; Bord Bia return to European trade shows.

5

‘Resilient’ Irish spirits sector looks to rebuild after Covid; FDI welcome approval of Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

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Market share gains for biggest grocery players; New Ireland Editor for The Times; M&S pledge to cut carbon footprint by a third by 2025.

Category finalists announced for Pakman Awards; New look Lidl opens in Ballyvolane.

Gala 12

Gala Retail’s suite of innovative in-store concepts, from coffee to deli and baked goods to ice cream, are real footfall drivers, as a host of Gala retailers explain.

Air Filtration 16

If air filtration is not taken seriously, it will derail many of the sacrifices that everyone has made in the fight against Covid-19 and will have a significant negative impact on the Irish economy.

Sicín Sásta 17

Sicín Sásta’s range of quality chicken ‘raised right’ is proving a real winner with today’s ethical consumer.

Retail News Interview 18

TWIG

22

Employment Law 25

18

Updates to Parent’s Leave and Adoptive Leave form key developments in Ireland’s work-life balance strategy.

Brexit Impact 32

Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO of Scurri, examines the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the retail sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Sellotape 34

Sellotape has Christmas wrapped up, with the launch of new Sellotape Zero Plastic joining the portfolio.

Origin Green 36

50 Origin Green companies were recently awarded Gold Membership status, as Bord Bia launched their Origin Green Progress Update Report 2021.

Personal Care 46

Paddy Carmody, Head of Marketing – Ireland, Beiersdorf, explains why Nivea takes a leading position on ethical issues, including sustainability and cruelty-free product testing.

Loyalty Schemes 50

Morgan Stokes examines at the benefits and difficulties of loyalty programmes, and looks at which one might suit your business best.

Food Waste 52

Shane McQuaid, HBC Portfolio Marketing Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland Ltd, talks us through Deep RiverRock’s new strategic direction and brand platform.

This year’s virtual TWIG Networking Event examined how learning from past events can help us to move forward and succeed in a postpandemic world.

It is time for policy-makers, businesses and consumers to get serious about reducing food waste, writes Cormac Byrne, Danone’s Head of Sales and Circular Economy Lead in Ireland.

Great Taste Awards 56

Food and drink products from Ireland and Northern Ireland were amongst the big winners at the Great Taste Awards.

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

Retail News

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8 28 40 54 60 61 62 64

Industry News Soup Fuels Drinks News Retail Ireland: Monthly Update What’s New Forecourt Focus: News Shelf Life

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News

Retailers demand new page for IN August, 2021, Quinn’s Foodstore and Newsagent, Ardmore, Co. Waterford, posted a notice in their window that took their customers by surprise.

“We wish to advise that... we will no longer be selling newspapers or magazines,” read the note. “This is due to the high cost of delivery which is now €152 per week, amounting to €7,900 per annum.

It is not sustainable any longer.”

When contacted by Retail News, coproprietor Bernadette Quinn declined to comment. But other independent retailers who we spoke to were largely supportive of the store’s radical decision. An annual hike in Carriage Service Charges (CSC), they claim, has made the business of stocking and selling newspapers and magazines unsustainable.

“At one time an increase in petrol prices put [CSC] up,” said Tom McDermott, owner of a Londis store in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. “When petrol slid back in price, they never came back down again. The distributors say their labour costs have gone up, but so have those of newsagents.

We just can’t keep paying these charges. It keeps going up and up.”

Alan Maher, who runs a separate Londis store in Clonmel, said his newspaper margins have been on decline for a few years. “Before, you’d have 26% margin on newspapers,” he told Retail News. “Now it’s around 21%.”

Two separate organisations look after newspaper and magazine distribution in Ireland: EM News, owned by UK company Menzies, and Newspread. Newspread distributes publications such as the Irish Independent, The Irish Times and the RTE Guide, while EM looks after The Sunday Times and Irish Sun, amongst others.

Valerie Boggan who runs Boggan’s Londis in Rosslare, Co. Wexford, gave Retail News a comprehensive itinerary of her costs. Her CSC fee from Newspread, she alleges, has gone from €54.22 in 2018 to €68.47 in 2021. EM News charges, she alleges, have risen from €45.53 to €48.75.

“On average, between Newspread and EM News, a margin of approximately 23% is gained,” she said. ”Going on our sales figures for 2021, which is deemed to be the busiest year in history for Rosslare retailers, I have calculated the net margin after costs.” For 2018, her margin worked out at 10% after costs. For 2021, she calculated her margin after costs as 10.5%.

Boggan includes the cost of labour in preparing her weekly newspaper and magazine stock. Magazines for all papers, except for the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent, are delivered separately, she said, which is heavily time consuming.

“EM News give retailers a handling allowance of 0.025c per paper,” she said.

“If you calculate inserting two magazines into 100 Sunday Times, the retailer gains €2.50. However, the handling charge is not given to you if the paper is returned to them unsold.”

She added: “We have to input the barcode of each paper into our computer system every morning. That is time consuming too.” Labour is also required for returns - i.e. newspapers that have not been sold.

Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association (CSNA), said that distribution charges are unfairly proportioned: “There’s a bottom line charge, if you’re doing a minimal amount of newspapers and magazines, but that doesn’t go up in a graded fashion. Someone buying more newspapers will pay a lower price per copy than someone buying the minimal amount.

It would be more equitable were it to be charged per copy.”

Other distribution services build their delivery price into the wholesale price, said Jennings. This makes newspaper distribution appear out of step. “It is so difficult because people don’t pay delivery charges for any other product. Quite rightly, retailers are upset with this,” Jennings explains.

Perhaps the biggest gripe among retailers we spoke to was a lack of communication from distribution services.

Boggan, McDermott and Maher claim they have not seen a representative from either company. They claim they don’t have renewable contracts and are not given detailed rundowns of payment structures for newspaper / magazine distribution.

Jennings said that EM and Newspread “are obliged under codes of practice to make people aware, one month in advance, of Carriage Charges being changed. They do that. They will also make you aware of your rate.”

Valerie Boggan said a lack of communication has heightened tensions.

“Over the past two weeks, we have been trying to contact a distributor to talk to a manager or rep to ask if there is a way to reduce the weekly cost. The customer service representative referred us to the accounts department who failed to return our call. After another attempt, a person rang back and advised us that the customer service department deals with all issues on costs. Back to square one...”

These retailers contend there is a solution to rising CSC: to have a tender process for a single distributor to distribute print publications in Ireland. This would half costs for everyone.

Jennings said that CSNA has approached the Department of Enterprise about this alleged duopoly. “There is no justification whatsoever for having this duplication,” he said. “I know that goes against the model of capitalism. But in the UK, the primary titles come up for bidding

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News

newspaper distribution charges in a five or six year distribution cycle. We don’t have a competitive environment because we’re forced into paying twice for what is effectively one delivery.”

An environmental issue is also at stake, he argued.

Under the government’s Circular Economy Bill, the country will need to rethink supply chains. Retailers we spoke to said they received newspapers every morning from a single courier who services both EM and Newspread.

However, Jennings claimed that some retailers around Ireland received two separate deliveries, which increases carbon emissions.

Ultimately, retailers - like publishers and distributors - face a market in which print sales are declining. National and local news is considered a fundamental cornerstone of democracy - perhaps more important now than ever before - so solutions and communication must be found. “Newspapers are vital as part of

Vincent Jennings, CEO, CSNA. the bulwark against fake news,” noted Jennings.

And while some retailers applauded the radical decision of Quinn’s in Ardmore to stop stocking newspapers, they all doubted that a wider boycott will happen.

“I haven’t the courage to do it,” admitted McDermott.

An EM News spokesperson said: “EM News is committed to its ongoing role in

the newstrade end-to-end supply chain, delivering service excellence and sustainable routes to market for its newstrade customers. If a retailer has any queries, we ask they reach out to our dedicated Customer Service Centre.”

The same spokesperson had the following comment on the company’s commitment to sustainability: “Sustainability wasn’t a recognised imperative when we started out in 1833, but we were designing sustainable routes to market even then.

With the use of our intelligent network, our reverse logistics solution eliminates unnecessary transportation, reduces demand for excess raw materials and reduces the overall carbon footprint. Every year we recover and recycle 26,000 tonnes of material, preventing it from going straight to landfill, and drive more than 260,000 emission free miles delivering to our customers.”

Newspread did not respond to our request for comment by the time of print.

Breakfast cereal nutrition labels need to be ‘fact checked’: FSAI

New CFO at Musgrave

BREAKFAST cereal nutrition labels cannot be totally relied upon to indicate true food composition, according to a new report from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

The report, ‘Reformulation of breakfast cereals: The accuracy of nutrition declaration on food labels for the monitoring of food reformulation in Ireland’ indicates that breakfast cereal nutrition labels may not reflect reformulation efforts. The findings of the study of 200 breakfast cereals on the Irish market indicate that labelled nutrition information needs to be ‘fact checked’ regularly.

The FSAI examined a cross section of breakfast cereals (n=200) to determine the accuracy of the nutrition labels in line with EC guideline nutrition labelling tolerances. The study found declared nutrition labels were mostly in line with EC guideline nutrition labelling tolerances for saturated fat, sugar and salt content of breakfast cereals.

However, 14.1% (n=28) of breakfast cereals were outside EC guideline nutrition labelling tolerances for total

MUSGRAVE Group have announced the appointment of Myles O’Grady as Chief Financial Officer with effect from April 4, 2022. Myles joins Musgrave from Bank of Ireland where he has Myles O’Grady, been Group Chief incoming Chief Financial Officer Financial Officer, since 2019. In joining Musgrave, Musgrave Group.

Myles brings with him a wealth of experience in delivering sustainable growth and in driving a culture that is customer focused and increasingly digital.

“I am pleased to welcome Myles to Musgrave as CFO following a comprehensive recruitment process,” revealed Noel Keeley, Musgrave CEO. “As one of Europe’s leading family-owned businesses, we are committed to delivering long-term sustainable growth.

Given Myles’ experience in senior financial and business leadership roles, he will be a fantastic asset in helping us achieve our ambitions. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Alan Cunningham for his significant and ongoing contribution as Acting CFO.”

fat. The study observed no systematic bias for placing breakfast cereals on the market with higher nutrient content than that shown on the label. The findings of this study indicate that declared nutrition labels may not reflect food reformulation efforts.

Food reformulation is the reduction of nutrients, such as fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt, in processed and packaged food in order to improve its nutrient quality and health profile.

Reformulation of processed foods, including breakfast cereals, is seen as offering a cost-effective opportunity to combat obesity, which affects over half of the population in Ireland.

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Aldi Ireland win Environment Award ALDI Ireland have won the Environment Award at this year’s Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards in recognition of their work to significantly reduce plastic and packaging across their products and stores.

Between 2018 and 2020, Aldi set a series of ambitious plastic and packaging removal and reduction targets including: • 100% of their own-label packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2022 (and branded products by 2025); • Reduce plastic packaging by 50% by 2025; • Reduce all packaging by 50% by 2025; • 50% of its plastic packaging to be made of recycled content by 2025; • Eliminate problematic plastic packaging from core food ranges by 2020; • 100% pulp-based packaging across core range must be FSC or PEFC certified or made of minimum 70% recycled content by 2020.

The successful project has seen the removal of over 2,150 tonnes of virgin plastic, 2,800 tonnes of packaging, the transition of 930 tonnes of nonrecyclable packaging to recyclable packaging and the removal of difficult to recycle plastics from Aldi’s 148 stores.

The programme has also seen Aldi become the first Irish supermarket to: • Fully remove over four million single-use plastic straws from their own-brand products, replacing them

Niall O’Connor, Aldi Ireland’s Group Managing Director.

• •

• •

with recyclable paper straws.

Introduce home compostable trays to their Specially Selected steak range.

Introduce 100% recyclable paper packaging across their ownbrand White Family Pan and 100% Wholemeal Sliced Pan. Introduce 100% recycled PET water bottles across their own-brand water ranges.

Fully remove all black plastic from core food ranges.

“As a business we have prioritised removing or reducing plastic and packaging across our entire operations,” said Niall O’Connor, Aldi Ireland’s Group

Managing Director. “We are working with our suppliers to develop viable alternatives to achieve our ambitious targets. Together we have made significant progress with more to do, and we are delighted to receive this award for our efforts.”

The Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards showcase best practice in sustainable development and social responsibility undertaken by companies of all sizes across Ireland.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are at the heart of these Awards, celebrating sustainable business practices and championing Chambers Ireland’s alignment with the Goals.

Bord Bia return to European trade shows BORD Bia are returning to trade show activity with a calendar of events across Europe this autumn, including a ministerial-led trade visit and in-person trade fair in Germany to coincide with Anuga, one of the largest international trade shows that takes place every second year. Anuga remains a crucial landmark on the global food industry calendar.

“As the world reopens, the opportunity to meet face to face at international trade shows and drive business is incredibly important,” said Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO. “These trade shows and trade visits are critical for the export-led recovery of the sector, not least because of the business potential involved for Irish companies trading within the EU, which represents 34% of total Irish food and drink exports.”

Bord Bia are organising and coordinating the Irish presence at a host of other European trade fairs for retail and foodservice channels, including Sirha in Lyon, France, where the focus is on foodservice; seafood show Conxemar in Spain along with Tuttofood in Italy, both in October; Food Ingredients Europe in November and the largest private label show, PLMA, in the Netherlands in December.

Virtual events also remain key to Bord Bia’s trade engagements at home and abroad, including The Prepared Consumer Foods Virtual Sourcing Fair on September 29 and 30, which saw Bord Bia and 68 Irish prepared consumer food companies, ranging from large scale manufacturers to family businesses, hosting over 350 virtual trade meetings with more than 100 trade buyers from all across Ireland and Great Britain, including senior representatives from M&S Ireland, Aramark and Tesco.

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO.

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‘Resilient’ Irish spirits sector looks to rebuild after Covid IRELAND’S spirits sector is showing its resilience, despite sales and exports declining last year due to Covid-19, according to the annual market report from Drinks Ireland - Spirits, which says that the sector is now setting its sights on recovery.

The report shows that spirits exports from the Republic of Ireland declined by 15.97% last year, from €1.18 billion in 2019, to €990m in 2020. However, this comes on the back of a number of years of strong growth, with the value of exports growing by 83.6% between 2014 and 2019, prior to Covid-19.

The report details that the overall global sales volume of Ireland’s spirits that are protected by EU Geographical Indications (Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Poitín) declined slightly, from 20.41m nine-litre cases in 2019 to 19.67m nine-litre cases in 2020.

Domestically, the report shows the closure of hospitality venues had a negative impact on the sector, particularly for brands that rely heavily on the on-trade. Overall, sales fell by 4.8%, from 2.42m nine-litre cases in 2019 to 2.3m nine-litre cases in 2020.

Some spirits categories benefited from the consumer shift to the off-trade in Ireland, according to the report, with

Bryan Fallon, Managing Director of Heaven Hill Ireland and Chair of Drinks Ireland - Spirits.

Irish Cream Liqueur sales growing by 26.5%.

A multitude of new ‘ready to drink’ (RTD) products hit the shelves over the course of 2020. These include spirits based RTDs and hard seltzers. As a category hard seltzers did not exist in Ireland in 2019, but in 2020 nearly 90 thousand cases of various brands were sold.

While sales of vodka declined by 10.2% last year, it remained Ireland’s most popular spirits drink, with a 31.6% market share in the category. This was followed by Irish whiskey (26.3% market share), gin/Irish gin (14.04%), and rum (7.4%).

While sales of gin in Ireland fell by 6.6% between 2019 and 2020, it has seen remarkable growth in recent years, with gin sales up by 184% between 2014 and 2019. Forecasts for the next five-year period suggest that the growth in gin and Irish gin has not ended and that the decline in 2020 will be seen as a Covid-19 related blip.

“The report shows that the spirits sector did not escape unscathed from the Covid-19 pandemic,” noted Bryan Fallon, Managing Director of Heaven Hill Ireland, brand owner of Carolan’s Irish Cream Liqueur and Irish Mist Honey Liqueur, and Chair of Drinks Ireland - Spirits, highlighting the impact of the closure of hospitality venues on the sector. “Despite this, the resilience shown by the spirits sector last year in the face of the loss of one of the main consumer channels was remarkable, with producers responding with an increased emphasis on the off-trade and a focus on ecommerce,” he said.

FDI welcome approval of Brexit Adjustment Reserve FOOD Drink Ireland (FDI), the Ibec group representing the food and drink sector, have welcomed the recent approval of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve by the European Council – the final legislative step in its Paul Kelly, FDI Director. adoption.

“The Irish food and drink sector is by far the most exposed of any sector in any country in Europe to Brexit,”

noted Paul Kelly, FDI Director. “Brexit has added significantly to trading costs, including transport & logistics and additional administration, both for trade with the UK but also for trade with the EU using the land-bridge. This is only going to get worse when border controls are introduced in the coming months.”

To address this competitiveness challenge, funds from Ireland’s €1 billion allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve should be targeted as follows, FDI believe: • • • • • •

Introduce a State-supported export credit insurance scheme; Invest €300m in competitiveness and trade promotion; Keep the EWSS and grant support under review including for those significantly impacted by Brexit.; Extend the Revenue Warehousing Scheme to Brexit impacted companies; Extend the Foreign Earnings Deduction to more markets; Extend and re-finance the ‘Ready for Customs’ grant scheme.

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Market share gains for biggest grocery players MARKET SHARE - TOTAL GROCERY THE latest figures from Kantar show that Irish Includes expenditure across Food, Beverages, Alcohol, Household and Health & Beauty categories grocery market sales dipped by 2.3% in the 12 weeks to September 5, 2021, as people edge Total Take Home Grocery - Ireland Consumer Spend back to their pre-pandemic routines. Sales % Change % Change 12 Weeks to 06/09/2020 12 Weeks to 05/09/2021 remain 11.1% higher than the same period in (year on year) (vs 2 years ago)* 2019. % % % % “While we’re a way off a full return to Total Outlets 100.0% 100.0% -2.3% 11.1% normality, there are winds of change and people Total Multiples 89.7% 90.7% -1.1% 12.6% are becoming more comfortable heading out and Dunnes 21.3% 21.4% -2.0% 6.9% about,” revealed Emer Healy, Retail Analyst at Tesco 21.0% 21.4% -0.5% 11.2% Kantar. “An extra 189,000 trips were made to the SuperValu 22.1% 22.5% -0.5 16.7% supermarket over the past three months, driven Aldi 12.6% 12.7% -1.5% 12.2% by shoppers running out for one or two items at Lidl 12.7% 12.8% -1.6% 19.3%. a time rather than relying on a big weekly shop Other Outlets** 10.3% 9.3% -12.1% -1.6% like they did during the height of lockdowns. It This is provided to give further context to the year-on-year growth figures, which are now comparing suggests that the high vaccination levels across *against the accelerated take-home sales recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. the country are helping to boost consumers’ ** = Includes stores such as M&S, Boots, Spar, Centra, Greengrocers, Butchers and Cross Border shops Source: Worldpanel FMCG confidence.

“We’re also seeing shoppers choosing 11.3%, 7.6% and 14.6% respectively.” to visit bigger stores rather than smaller Dunnes, a favourite of families preparing to send children convenience retailers on their doorstep. That’s been good news back to school, saw the greatest influx of new shoppers among for Ireland’s largest grocers, as all of the big five gained market all the retailers, up 5.3%, which contributed €32m to its sales. share this period for the first time since 2010.”

Dunnes is tied with Tesco for the title of second-largest grocer, Strong performances for bricks and mortar stores meant both claiming a 21.4% share of the market this period. Tesco, online sales dropped by 12.3% in the past four weeks. “Online which gained 0.4 percentage points of share, was particularly grocery shopping has taken a backseat this month as people successful in terms of growth for brands, which grew by 2.9% return to workplaces, education, and eating out,” Emer noted. to buck the overall market decline in branded sales this period.

“As a result, digital grocery shops shrunk by an average of four Aldi achieved its highest ever market share this period at items over the course of the latest four weeks. However, we 12.7%. It gained a significant number of new shoppers over the expect this decline to soften in the coming months as shoppers past three months, which increased its sales by €1.6m yearfind their feet in their new routines. on-year. Lidl holds a 12.8% market share this period.

“It’s been a busy time for Irish households all over the SuperValu remains the largest retailer, with a 22.5% share of country and preparing meals from scratch, a popular pandemic the market. This was driven by consumers visiting the store pastime, has slipped down the agenda,” she continued.

7% more often than they did last year, the highest shopper “Shoppers switched home cooking staples for more time frequency among all the retailers, which led to a sales boost of efficient options, spending €7.5m more on chilled convenience €43m million for the grocer. items like pizzas and ready meals over the past four weeks.

Grocery market inflation stands at 0.3% for the 12-week Parents were also stocking up on lunch box favourites like period ending September 5, 2021. children’s biscuits, bread and cooked meats, which grew by

New Ireland Editor for The Times

M&S pledge to cut carbon footprint by a third by 2025

WW (pictured) has been appointed Ireland Editor of The Times and The Sunday Times and will join the paper this November. Reporting to Emma Tucker, Editor of The Sunday Times, and John Witherow, Editor of The Times, Nóirín will be responsible for editing the award-winning journalism of both titles in Ireland and leading the newsroom’s move to digital-first publishing.

Nóirín has significant experience as an editor in print and digital journalism and in leading digital transformation projects. In her role prior to this, she was vice-president digital content at Lonely Planet, spearheading their new digital strategy. She was previously editor of the national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Tribune, the editor of the number one Irish news website independent.ie, and deputy editor of the daily national newspaper, the Evening Herald.

M&S have reset their Plan A sustainability programme, with a singular focus on becoming a net zero Scope 3 business across its entire supply chain and products by 2040. The retailer has set out a detailed roadmap to net zero using science-based targets aligned to the UN ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5c. The ambitious target would see M&S achieve full net zero 10 years ahead of the Irish Government’s national climate objective and will require rapid decarbonisation of their business to cut their carbon footprint by a third by 2025, from a 5.7m tonne 2017 baseline.

The retailer launched Plan A in 2007 and became the first major retailer to reach carbon neutral status in 2012.

“We launched Plan A 14 years ago, because we knew then there was no Plan B for our planet,” said Steve Rowe, M&S CEO. “We now face a climate emergency, and in resetting Plan A with a singular focus we can drive the delivery of net zero across our entire end-to-end supply chain.”

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Category finalists announced for Pakman Awards THE Pakman Awards, Ireland’s National Environmental Awards, have announced the businesses, organisations, community groups and individuals shortlisted in their 11 award categories.

Amongst those shortlisted this year are Repak members Aldi Ireland, Danone Ireland, Tesco Ireland, Bord na Móna Recycling and NPP Group Ltd, as well as Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Nestlé Ireland, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard and Britvic Ireland.

Now in their seventh year, the National Environmental Awards honour companies, individuals, and community initiatives who demonstrate excellence in recycling and waste management.

The winners of each Pakman Awards category will be announced at this year’s awards ceremony which takes place on October 29 in The Shelbourne Hotel, in accordance with government guidelines.

Each category winner is eligible to win the Overall Pakman Award, which celebrates outstanding achievements in recycling and waste management over the last two years.

“I am delighted to announce the category finalists of the 2021 Pakman Awards, in a year that sees the return of a full programme after last year’s awards were impacted by Covid-19,” noted Repak CEO, Séamus Clancy. “The Pakman Award are always evolving, and our categories honour the great work of individuals, communities and organisations across the country.

Despite difficult conditions over the last 18 months, most businesses and organisations have continued

DID Electrical Business Recycling Champion: Nestlé Ireland Ryans Cleaning Waste and Recycling Tesco Ireland Plastic Pledge Award: ABP Food Group Aldi Ireland Britvic Ireland Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland Danone Ireland Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland Mannok Pack Ltd NPP Group Ltd Tesco Ireland Séamus Clancy, Repak CEO. to implement exemplary waste management, sustainability, and recycling practices and with both our existing and new categories, we want to highlight these efforts and celebrate their achievements.

“The quality and innovation displayed in our entries for 2021 gives me confidence that we are making great strides to protect our environment and plan for a more sustainable future.”

The finalists for the 2021 Pakman Awards include: Battery and WEEE Champion: Aldi Ireland Barretstown

Waste Prevention Business Award: Good Fish Processing RTÉ Tesco Ireland Waste Recovery Operator of the Year – Commercial and Household: Bord na Móna Recycling Clean Ireland Ltd Thorntons Recycling Waste Recycling and Recovery Facility of the Year: Bord na Móna Recycling Irish Packaging Recycling Quality Recycling Thorntons Recycling For more information, visit www.pakman.ie.

New look Lidl opens in Ballyvolane LIDL Ireland’s Ballyvolane store has opened after an extensive refurbishment. The reinvestment in the supermarket has created six new jobs in the community, adding to the existing store team of 21 employees.

The store closed temporarily earlier this year while it underwent the transformation, including a front and side extension adding to an even more spacious shopping experience, including full height glazing on the front façade, offering natural light within the sales area. The 1,418 square-metre modern sales area also incorporates a large bakery Cork Senior Hurler Eoin Cadogan is pictured officially opening the area with freshly baked breads and pastries, one of Lidl Ballyvolane store with Seamus Hogan, Lidl Area Manager, and Lidl’s most popular features.

Jackie O’Regan, Lidl Store Manager.

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Industry News Spar target leadership in plant-based market SPAR have announced an innovative new plant-based alternative fresh food offering as they aim to meet the growing demand for this category. The new offering will be anchored by Spar’s signature plant-based fillet, which is a first for the Irish market and will provide a meat free alternative to the traditional deli favourite, the chicken fillet roll. The new fillet, which Spar expect to quickly become a customer favourite, contains plant-based ingredients only, with participating stores offering all the trimmings you would expect of the famous chicken roll, such as plant-based spreads, cheese, coleslaw or lettuce.

Initially the Spar plant-based fillet will launch in stores on university campuses before rolling out to other Spar stores. Trinity third year nursing students, Leyah Stokes and Olivia Deverell from Laois joined BWG Foods’ Head of Food Innovation, Orla Jordan, and Julianne Prendergast to announce the addition of a plant-based fillet to Spar’s deli offering.

Bord Bia & Aoibhín Garrihy promote Irish whitefish

SuperValu team up with dance group for AsIAm

AS Ireland’s seafood industry continues to face challenges in the wake of Covid-19, Bord Bia have teamed up actress and presenter Aoibhín Garrihy, pictured here with Pamela from Kish Fish, to launch a new campaign to encourage consumers to buy and eat more locally caught Irish whitefish. As part of the campaign, Aoibhín, whose family come from a fishing background, will learn about Ireland’s fishing industry and how our coastline is an incredible source of quality Irish whitefish. “Bord Bia’s Thinking House found that since September 2020 there was a steady increase in people eating whitefish at home at least once a week,” noted Bord Bia Brand Manager Hylda Adams. “We hope to see that trend continue, as more consumers become inspired to try out our range of recipe ideas and add Irish whitefish to their diets.” For more information, see BordBia.ie/Fish.

WITH the help of TikTok famous Irish Dancing Group Cairde, SuperValu and AsIAm are hoping to spread the word and encourage the nation to ‘Tap To Donate with SuperValu for AsIAm’.

As part of SuperValu’s ongoing partnership with AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity, a fundraising drive took place in all SuperValu stores from September 23-25, with SuperValu encouraging customers to simply tap to donate €2 at tills when making any purchase. Money raised by customers over the three-day fundraising drive will support autism inclusion through the work of the organisation and a new SuperValu- AsIAm Community Support Fund. Pictured are Adam Harris, AsIAm CEO, Irish Dancing Group Cairde and SuperValu Clifden staff members.

Tesco celebrate their biggest carrot grower

CARROTS have been the bedrock of Irish cooking for generations, being one of Ireland’s most popular vegetables, and Tesco recently celebrated their biggest carrot grower, Dockrells, a family-owned grower based in County Wexford, in the latest chapter of their Food Love Stories campaign. Dockrells have been growing carrots for Tesco for a quarter of a century, supplying almost three quarters of the stock customers see on shelves. Paul Doran (pictured), has been farm manager for 30 years and appears on the farm and alongside his family in the latest Food Love Stories campaign, where Paul’s wife Liz also showcases her famous carrot buns.

Bewley’s reward loyal customer DUBLIN’S most famous café have paid a touching tribute to their most loyal customer to mark his 90th birthday. Bewley’s of Grafton Street honoured record-breaking Denis Shields, an incredible 59 years after he ordered his first coffee in 1962. Bewley’s estimate that since then, he has enjoyed over 30,000 cups and tucked into countless cherry buns on his daily visits. More than three generations of the Shields family shared a Bewley’s birthday cake - served by three generations of the Campbell family, Paddy, son Cól and grandson Felix, in Grafton Street. Paddy Campbell of Bewley’s and his wife Veronica, are pictured with Denis, celebrating his landmark birthday.

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Industry News Dairyglen team up with Britvic in new partnership for MiWadi Fruit Ice DAIRYGLEN have partnered with Irish soft drinks giant Britvic to supply new MiWadi Fruit Ice and Robinson’s Fruit Ice nationwide. The new fruit ice lines feature two flavours, Orange and Apple & Blackcurrant, with no added sugars in a non-carbonated shaved ice format.

MiWadi is Ireland’s number one flavour enhancer brand and a firm favourite amongst Irish consumers (Source: AC Nielsen, Total Squash Category, MAT, August 15, 2021), making this a much sought-after addition to the traditional frozen drinks market. Fruit ice represents a new opportunity for retailers who are looking to expand their frozen drinks offering and sell one of Ireland’s biggest brands. The frozen drinks category has seen huge growth during the pandemic, so Dairyglen are excited to bring retailers across Ireland something new and exciting in this space.

Coeliac Society of Ireland and Tesco Ireland sign partnership THE Coeliac Society of Ireland have joined forces with Tesco Ireland to increase public awareness of coeliac disease and gluten intolerance and help support the nearly 500,000 Irish people who suffer from the conditions. As part of a new partnership agreement, the retailer will sponsor the charity’s gluten free food mobile app and November’s Gluten Free Living Show. Tesco Ireland will also use their Clubcard Rewards membership programme to promote the Society’s work and the supports available to those in need, and also to provide gluten free special offers for shoppers.“We are delighted to partner with the Coeliac Society of Ireland and support the wellbeing of coeliac sufferers,” noted Cathal Deavy, Customer Director at Tesco Ireland. Gill Brennan, CEO, Coeliac Society Ireland (pictured), said: “The significance of this agreement cannot be underestimated.”

Fetching social influencers for your campaign LOCAL integrated communications agency, RNN Communications, have just launched fetch Ireland, which connects brands with members of the micro influencer community in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. RNN Communications have partnered with the founders of Belgium-based fetch social, Tom Tack and Stijn Verlinden, to acquire the rights for the fetch platform in the UK and Ireland. Launched recently, fetch Ireland has already accumulated interest from 150 micro influencers, and the business is targeting 500 registrations by the end of October. “For the past six months we’ve been building the Irish platform, creating a new website and recruiting new team members in preparation for the launch of fetch Ireland. Influencer marketing is now a key part of many brands’ marketing strategies. However, reaching micro influencers (those with 5,000 followers plus) has been relatively untapped and unstructured until now,” explains Riki Neill, Director of RNN Communications. Pictured at the launch of Fetch Ireland are (l-r) Stijn Verlinden, co-founder of fetch social; Jolene Kelly, Head of Services at fetch Ireland; Riki Neill, Director of RNN Communications; Tom Tack, co-founder of fetch social; and Kerrie-Ann McElroy, Digital Communications Executive at fetch Ireland.

Dealz enters reusable water bottle market WITH the rise in demand for reusable water bottles over the past few years, Dealz knows just how much of a hot accessory they are but prices are very high. So Dealz has launched, Drink Fresh, hot on the shelves, so consumers can stay hydrated and on trend for just €6. Coming in a range of colours of black, pink, green and more, these thermally insulated bottles are double-walled and leak proof.

Good4U join Tesco’s Loop recycling initiative SLIGO healthy snacks and salad toppers brand, Good4U, are the first Irish brand to partner with Tesco in their ground-breaking Loop recycling initiative. The launch of the Loop scheme in Tesco stores follows a year-long online pilot, launched in July 2020, that allowed customers to order and return products in reusable packaging, to and from their doorstep. This innovative sustainability development is a major initiative for Tesco and will feature a wide range of products from categories such as grocery, household, and beauty. Since September 13, Loop allows customers to buy products in reusable packaging that can be returned to the store when finished to be cleaned, refilled and used again. Pictured are Laura O Sullivan, Marketing Director; Bernie Butler, CEO; and Michelle Butler, Innovation Director, Good4U.

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Industry News MiWadi support Trick or Treat for Sick Children BROADCASTER, TV personality, and mum Lucy Kennedy is pictured launching the annual Trick or Treat for Sick Children fundraising campaign in aid of Children’s Health Foundation, with the help of two mighty little monsters, Aoife and Ciara Jane O’Sullivan, who have both spent time at CHI at Crumlin and Temple Street.

Children’s Health Foundation and MiWadi are calling on families, friends, and communities to take part in some mighty monster fun by hosting spectacularly spooky Halloween activities at home, in school or creche, in the workplace, or even virtually while making a contribution to support the magic that happens in CHI hospitals every day. Funds raised will help to purchase vital, life-saving equipment for sick children all across Ireland. MiWadi are celebrating nine years proudly supporting Trick or Treat for Sick Children. For more information, visit www.childrenshealth.ie/trickortreat.

Londis announce €1m advertising campaign LONDIS have announced the launch of a new television and social media multi-platform advertising campaign starring Ireland’s favourite duo, Liam and Des (pictured), who first came to fame in 2019 as part of Londis’ awardwinning sponsorship of RTE hit-show, Ireland’s Fittest Family. Following an investment of €1m, this campaign is a new, modern take on the Londis strapline ‘Local Like You’ and focuses on how ‘Londis Listens’ to its shoppers, learns from them and tailors in-store offerings to reflect the needs of Londis shoppers. “We’re really excited about this advertising campaign and through it we’re hoping to provide some enjoyable entertainment that will lift the moods of our customers,” noted Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director. “The Londis brand is centred on how our retailers are ‘Local Like’ their customers and how their teams are driven to answer their customers’ needs, something we’ve tried to highlight and emphasise with this campaign.”

Spar sponsor National Tree Day SPAR have become official sponsor of National Tree Day in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland, which took place on Thursday, October 7. The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘Trees are Good Neighbours’ and aims to encourage primary school children and their families to think more about the important role trees play in supporting the environment and the biodiversity found in and under the tree. The Tree Council of Ireland, supported

by Spar, called on children, teachers and parents to ‘Be a Good Neighbour’ and plant a tree on Spar National Tree Day. “We’re really excited and proud ‘under the Tree at Spar’ to be working with the Tree Council of Ireland as their new partner,” noted Colin Donnelly, Spar Sales Director, pictured with Cormac Downey, Vice President, Tree Council of Ireland; and Seamus Dunne, Senior Forestry Inspector, with senior infants from Our Lady of Consolation National School, Donnycarney, Dublin 9. For more information, visit www.treeday.ie.

Bewley’s employees saddle up for Hospice Bewley’s employees have completed an incredible 105km cycle to raise funds and awareness for the Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice, which took place on September 23. Last year, due to pandemic restrictions, the annual cycle was coordinated virtually, but this year the team of five cyclists were delighted to get back in the saddle to support Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice. The charity cycle saw Bewley’s employees visit hospices across the capital that included St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Blackrock, St Francis Hospice, Raheny, and finishing at Bewley’s Northern Cross. Pictured are (l-r): Richie Bissett, Trade Marketing Manager; Jason Doyle, Managing Director; and Eamonn Diver, Engineering Manager. For more information, visit www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie.

€1m win at the seaside

A SEASIDE store located in the heart of Rosslare has been confirmed as the selling location for the Daily Million top prize of €1m on Friday, September 24.

The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold on the day of the draw at Centra on the Strand Road in Rosslare, Co. Wexford. “We were delighted to hear that one of our customers was the biggest winner from the weekend. This is also the largest prize amount that we have ever sold so it’s exciting,” noted store owner Shane Murphy, pictured with Siobhán Murphy, shop assistant Trish Montgomery and Michael Molloy of the National Lottery outside their shop in Rosslare.

The Origin Green programme, run by Bord Bia, with a network of over 300 leading food and drink manufacturers and 55,000 farms, drives and monitors positive sustainability actions.

The gold standard in sustainable Irish food and drink Through independent verification, Gold Member 2021 status was awarded to the Origin Green manufacturing members below who demonstrated exceptional sustainability target performance last year.

U R N EY CHOCOLATES

Sam Dennigan & Co uc.

Find out more at www.origingreen.ie

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Gala

A fresh focus for Gala Retail

Gala Retail’s suite of innovative in-store concepts, from coffee to deli and baked goods to ice cream, are real footfall drivers, as a host of Gala retailers explain.

DESPITE the challenges that the convenience retail sector has faced since early 2020, innovation and a focus on responding to the changing consumer trends of Irish consumers has ensured that the Gala Group continue to remain at the forefront of the sector.

There are over 250 Gala Group stores in locations throughout Ireland, giving the Gala Group a grounding in communities across the country.

The Gala Group had a strong start to 2021, reporting a year-on-year sales growth of 9% in Q1, and 11% in H1, while in the past 12 months, the Gala Group has added 24 new stores to the Gala estate, with a further 15 existing Gala stores undergoing refurbishment.

The Group’s commitment to creating fresh, contemporary stores, both for existing and new stores, has been at the forefront of their activities with a focus on creating attractive and modern store layouts,

reflecting the innovative, forward-thinking nature of Gala Retail.

Gala Retail stores are tailored to the communities in which they operate and because of this, no two Gala stores are the same, Gala’s refreshed branding creates a vibrant and welcoming contemporary convenience store, with offerings and fresh food concepts designed to cater to the needs of their customer and store layouts designed to make each store’s offerings stand out to consumers.

Exclusive in-store concepts from Gala Retail As the convenience retail sector has evolved, with fresh food offerings emerging as a key driver for consumers, Gala Retail have responded by making fresh food a central part of their offering. The Gala Group have invested heavily in the expansion of their fresh food team and in the development of their exclusive range of in-store concepts. They have more Fresh Food Executives per retailer than any other convenience symbol group, demonstrating the pivotal role of fresh food in convenience retailing and Gala’s dedication to ensuring Gala retailers have access to innovative, modern concepts that set their stores apart from competitors and deliver quality, convenient, food-to-go options that will draw consumers into their local Gala store.

Baker’s Corner enables retailers to offer their customers quality home baked goods, freshly prepared in-store each day.

Fresh food-to-go is not just for people on the move; with the busy lifestyles that people are leading at the minute, they are also looking for high quality, convenient and fresh food-to-go options to enjoy at home. This is something that Gala have taken into account with their exclusive range of in-store concepts.

The first of Gala’s concepts was Baker’s Corner, which enables retailers to offer quality home baked goods, freshly prepared in-store each day, to their customers and the concept has been instrumental in recruiting new customers to the Gala brand.

Baker’s Corner is delivered in partnership with an independent Irish-owned business, reflecting Gala’s focus on supporting local communities and local suppliers. Baker’s Corner was soon joined by Coffee Junction, Gala’s own coffee offering and a natural pairing for Baker’s Corner.

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Gala

Coffee Junction is all about providing convenient, quality coffee for people on-the-go.

The Coffee Junction in-store Gala coffee offering has been developed exclusively for Gala retailers and is available from selected Gala stores nationwide. Coffee Junction is all about providing convenient, quality coffee for people on-the-go and the signature Coffee Junction blend makes it a popular choice with thousands of Gala customers each day.

For Gala’s deli offering, New Street Deli, a colourful street food inspired deli menu was created to complement and reflect the updated modern look of the rebranded deli areas in-store. New Street Deli caters to a range of customers with its innovative street food inspired menu, with offerings ranging from New Street Spice Boxes and Messy Taco Fries to on-trend Healthy Protein Salad Boxes and New Fusion Wraps, as well as the usual deli favourites, including hot breakfasts, freshly made sandwiches and baguettes.

Gala introduced their own fresh whipped ice cream and dessert station, Galato, in 2019. The Galato offering is comprised of a range of chilled dessert options, including ice cream, milkshakes and desserts, with a twist, incorporating crepes, puddled doughnuts, waffles and much more into

seasonal offerings. These tasty treats include the Halloween Spooky Banana Boat, Christmas Hot Waffle & Ice Cream with Cinnamon Sprinkles, Valentine’s Day mini filled donuts, and a Saint Patrick’s Day green and gold sundae. The offering taps into the upturn in consumer demand and popularity of frozen desserts and is a great addition to Gala’s expanding concept range.

Distill is Gala’s off-sales alcohol offering, which includes the finest new and old world wines and spirits, as well as a wide selection of beers and other alcoholic beverages for Gala customers to conveniently shop during their trip to a Gala store.

Most recently, the Gala concept range introduced the Blissimo pizza concept, which brings pizza on-the-go to Gala customers. Freshly made in-store and sold by the pizza or individual slices, Blissimo offers Gala customers a fast, fresh and tasty option, whether they’re looking for a quick snack onthe-go or a delicious and convenient meal for all the family.

The innovation and introduction of these concepts to stores has been hugely beneficial to Gala retailers, visibly increasing sales and driving footfall and drawing new customers to stores.

Here, we speak to some Gala stores about how fresh, forwardthinking branding and innovation in fresh food has benefited their businesses.

McDermott’s Gala, Patrickswell, Limerick The McDermott’s Gala store is located in the village of Patrickswell, just a few miles outside Limerick City. John McDermott joined the Gala Group in 2011 and in 2021, the store underwent a large refurbishment project, updating its Gala branding and fresh food concepts.

“Our store has just undergone a refurbishment, upgrading to the latest Gala branding for the store and its concepts Baker’s Corner, Galato, New Street Deli and the Distill Off Licence,” explains John McDermott. “Baker’s Corner has always been huge for us, making us a destination store for homemade breads, tarts and cakes. Galato has also been very successful, and we now operate our ice cream machine 12 months of the year.

McDermott’s Gala, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick, underwent a large refurbishment project this year.

The Galato offering is comprised of a range of chilled dessert options, including ice cream, milkshakes and desserts, with a twist.

“As a forecourt store, New Street Deli is critical to commuter customers and it’s the key driver for all our business and continues to grow. Our newly opened Distill off licence is off to a great start and we view this as being an important footfall driver moving forward. The refurbishment of the store and new concept areas have really elevated the look and feel of the store, making it a modern and contemporary space.”

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Gala

The New Street Deli counter at Mulrooney’s Gala has driven footfall into the Nenagh store.

The new Distill off licence at McDermott’s Gala has already proved a winner at the Patrickswell forecourt store.

Kane’s Gala, Burrin Road, Carlow Following the completion of a stunning refurbishment in April, Kane’s Gala in Carlow has become a one-stop-shop for the local community with its range of concepts.

The store now houses the New Street Deli, Galato Ice Cream, Baker’s Corner and Distill wine and off-sales offerings, which have been well received by customers.

The extension and renovation have delivered strong results for the store, with sales increasing by around 30% in the deli and hot food departments. This sales increase has resulted in increased margin and profitability for the store, which is most welcome.

Store owner, Terry Kane says that as well as increasing footfall and sales, the renovation has also given the store a ‘wow-factor’, making the store more spacious and easier to navigate.

“The support from customers has been brilliant,” the store owner enthuses. “It’s completely different and a lot brighter. The new look store and the strength of the fresh food offering we have help the store to compete and stay relevant in a busy area.”

Mulrooney’s Gala, Nenagh, Tipperary In early 2020, the Mulrooney’s Gala store in Nenagh underwent a massive renovation.

“We wanted to update the store to align it with the new contemporary Gala image,” says Shane Mulrooney, who runs the store along with his father, Seán.

A key element of the store’s upgrade and refurbishment was the introduction of a large New Street Deli counter, Galato ice cream and chilled desserts station, and a Coffee Junction dock from the Gala Retail concept range, all of which have elicited a great response from customers in the local community and have delivered customer footfall during a challenging time for the retail sector.

“Footfall has increased along with our sales and

profitability,” Shane reveals. “It’s a different store with a completely different feel. It’s the in-store concepts and all that they have brought that has set us apart locally. The feedback we’ve got from customers has been brilliant.”

Crowe’s Gala, Sixmilebridge, Clare Crowe’s Gala is a family-run business based in Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare. The 3,000 square feet convenience store has just recently undergone a refurbishment, refreshing the store’s look and layout, and upgrading its concept offerings.

Coffee Junction was the first concept that Crowe’s Gala introduced a number of years ago, and its impact was immediate, according to store owner, Flora Crowe: “We noticed a significant increase in our sales following the introduction of Coffee Junction, through a combination of great marketing and really great coffee in our new store. The recently refreshed branding has also led to an increase in sales following the store refurbishment.”

The Galato ice cream and chilled desserts offering has proved hugely popular with customers at Crowe’s Gala, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare.

The Galato ice cream and chilled desserts offering has also been a big hit with customers at Crowes, as Flora explains: “Galato Ice cream has been a big winner for us in the last two years. With Ireland being one of the highest consumers of ice cream in Europe, it is a must for any good store now and a great addition to the range of concepts from Gala.”

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Air Filtration

The importance of clean air in retail indoor spaces If air filtration is not taken seriously, it will derail many of the sacrifices that everyone has made in this fight against Covid-19, writes Professor Azeem Majeed, Head of the Department of Primary Care & Public Health at Imperial College London and independent medical science advisor to smart buildings specialist Okto.

EVEN before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us were increasingly concerned about the air that we breathe, with the dangers of indoor and outdoor air pollution being frequently reported.

Over the last year, it has become clear that clean air is not a luxury, but an essential for public health. Adequate ventilation and good quality air is the first line of defence against the spread of Covid-19 and other air-borne viruses.

As the winter season fast approaches and hundreds of thousands of Irish people begin to return in numbers to the shops in the retail sector, attention urgently needs to be shifted to recognising the critical role that air cleaning systems must play in indoor spaces in the fight against Covid-19 and other common respiratory winter viruses.

A recent study in the journal Science, compiled by 39 scientists from 14 countries, has demanded universal recognition that infections can be prevented by improving air ventilation systems in buildings.

Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged last year that airborne transmission of Covid-19 could happen, public-health agencies have emphasised the risks of infection in crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces. These locations have the potential to become hotspots of infection, and Government, regulators, retail store owners and employers must recognise the duty of care they have in providing safe, clean air in indoor environments.

Action is required now to achieve this.

Doing nothing when it comes to ensuring clean air for the users of indoor spaces will inevitably lead to further negative consequences, including the risk of continued waves of infections, hospitalisations and deaths; increasing levels of sick leave; and the associated loss of productivity, as well as the substantial economic cost.

Taking air filtration seriously If Government does not start taking indoor air filtration seriously, and if the owners of indoor spaces across Ireland do not start taking air filtration seriously, this will derail many of the sacrifices that everyone has made in this fight against Covid-19 and will have a significant negative impact on the Irish economy.

Any operator of an indoor setting where people gather must ensure its air quality is of the appropriate standard to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Unlike natural ventilation, which works to dilute harmful pathogens, medical grade cleaning technology is designed to remove harmful airborne particles altogether and must be considered as part of any solution to the problem.

Cleaning the air in indoor spaces from potentially virus-laden aerosols will have significant benefits for individuals’ health, reassuring employees and customers they are in a safe environment and allowing businesses in the trade to operate effectively and to stay open.

What air cleaning technology is leading the way?

Medical grade Disinfecting Filtration Systems (DFS) that are independently tested, proven to be effective and meet all the relevant industry standards and certifications (e.g., European Standard EN1822, Zero Ozone Emission Certification), are the ‘Gold Standard’ solution when selecting an effective solution.

Disinfecting Filtration Systems (DFS) can help combat the spread of all airborne viruses occurring naturally, providing a 99.99% efficiency rate on pollutants down to .007 microns (Covid measures between 0.6 and 0.14 microns), providing fresh clean air to any indoor space. These systems can be provided in both portable units for single shop room

Professor Azeem Majeed. spaces and/or as part of a fully fitted air ventilation and filtration system scalable up to one million square feet.

Coronavirus can be detected in the air up to three hours after emission from an infected person, making it vital that owners and operators of indoor spaces where people gather review their ventilation and filtration systems to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission in their building and stop infection hotspots from occurring.

About the author: PROFESSOR Azeem Majeed is Head of the Department of Primary Care & Public Health at Imperial College London and independent medical science advisor to Okto, a smart buildings specialist that has recently launched a range of air quality management solutions for the Irish market. For more information, visit https://oktoair.ie/ or www.oktotechnologies.co.uk.

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Sicín Sásta

Chicken worth crossing the aisle for Sicín Sásta’s range of quality chicken ‘raised right’ is proving a real winner with today’s ethical consumer.

IRISH-produced Sicín Sásta know that great tasting chicken is no accident! Since the launch earlier this year, Sicín Sásta is still wowing Irish consumers. While welfare is also top of mind, they stayed for the taste, as Sicín Sásta’s quality chicken raised with grá is full on flavour!

Sicín Sásta chickens are born and raised on the same family farm, looked after by farmers with generations of experience. Sicín Sásta ensure they’re giving the right care, the right environment, and the right nutrition to their chickens.

The surrounds of Sicín Sásta’s fields are planted with wildflowers and natural

grasses to attract bees and enhance the chickens’ environment.

Sustainable from farm to shelf Now more than ever, sustainability is top of mind with Irish consumers. Sicín Sásta have championed sustainability with their chicken products from feed right through to packaging for retail. The secret Sicín Sásta feed recipe is made up of 70% wholegrains sourced from local farmers and is produced in their dedicated chicken-only feed mill. Sicín Sásta chickens are a slow growing breed, maturing at nature’s pace, because you just can’t rush great taste!

With regards to their unique smart packaging, Sicín Sásta have been conscious of reducing excess where possible, moving away from the traditional packaging of whole chicken.

There are no leg-ties or clingfilm, and the chicken trays have been removed to create just one functional and effective whole bird bag. The diced chicken fillet is also packaged in an innovative resealable pouch, which doubles as a storage container to pop in the fridge, and it has 15% less packaging!

The whole fillets come in a tray that uses 60% less packaging and includes a lining to keep it clean and ready to recycle once removed. All these unique smart packaging options are designed to make life much easier and minimise handling.

Quality assured chicken With both product tiers, Sicín Sásta Free Range and Sicín Sásta Farmers’ Own, the socially conscious consumer has the opportunity to support an Irish business with welfare front and centre.

Quality assurance influences the purchasing of almost 50% of consumers and Sicín Sásta are proud to have the Bord Bia quality assurance mark and are a Love Irish Food affiliated brand.

With quality, provenance, and value for money guiding most chicken consumers’ decisionmaking, Sicín Sásta ticks all the boxes. The Sicín Sásta free-range chicken offers a 1.5kg whole bird and 500g chicken breast fillets.

The Farmers’ Own chicken offers a 1.5kg whole bird, 500g chicken breast fillets, 420g chicken thigh fillets, and 380g diced fillets.

The higher tier of Sicín Sásta sits above the current corn-fed chicken and free-range chicken but below the organic chicken category. The Farmers’ Own tier sits between the standard chicken and below the corn-fed and freerange category.

For more information, visit https://sicinsasta.ie, while there are plenty of delicious recipes to try for Sicín Sásta whole chicken, fillet and diced chicken at https:// Sicín Sásta’s delicious, quality chicken ‘raised right’ is full on flavour, making it worth crossing the aisle for. sicinsasta.ie/tasty-recipes/.

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Retail News Interview

Reclaiming the positivity: Nice One! with a number of video on demand platforms. The campaign is further supported with new packaging, digital, out of home, experiential, social, PR and shopper activity.

Deep RiverRock continues to grow market share as the second largest impulse water brand on the island of Ireland.

Shane McQuaid, HBC Portfolio Marketing Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland Ltd, explains what the campaign involves and why it is reclaiming the phrase ‘Nice one’ as a “pure expression of happiness”.

Shane McQuaid, HBC Portfolio Marketing Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland Ltd, talks us through Deep RiverRock’s new strategic direction and brand platform.

DEEP RiverRock, who have been making waves with their new look 100% recycled bottle, have launched a brand new strategic direction and brand platform: Nice One! The new brand campaign shows how choosing Deep RiverRock 100% recycled bottle is a Nice One! Deep RiverRock will

use a new brand character, comedian Tony Cantwell, to remind us all of the positives in everyday life situations.

To deliver the Deep RiverRock brand message, the new Nice One! campaign went live on September 6, led by a heavyweight TV campaign on RTE, Channel 4, Virgin Media & Sky, together

Can you explain the reasoning behind the creation of the Nice One! brand platform and strategic direction?

“Deep RiverRock was introduced to the market in 1994 and, since then, we have made it our mission to provide a great hydration experience for people all over the island of Ireland with our high-quality water.

“We are committed to keeping Deep RiverRock fresh, modern and premium, and for almost 30 years now, the brand has evolved to respond to customers’ changing needs.

“This new strategic direction, Nice One!, is another evolution of this. “‘Nice One’, a popular and uniquely Irish phrase but often used to be cynical, will be reclaimed by Deep RiverRock for what it really means, a pure expression of happiness – encouraging the nation to see the opportunities in challenges when approached with optimism, while also keeping Deep RiverRock’s sustainability commitment and credentials front and centre.

“With the support of its brand ambassador and comedian, Tony Cantwell, Deep RiverRock will playfully point out these simple moments of joy.”

What will it mean for the brand?

“Reflecting the brand’s positive tone of voice, the new campaign will celebrate those little moments we all experience in the face of challenges. The message will also marry the brand’s commitment to sustainability and the small changes we can all make to protect the planet for generations to come.”

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Retail News Interview bring it to life we wanted to create the most enthusiastic brand ambassador, someone who could turn any situation into a positive. The Deep RiverRock Star would be a person for whom sarcasm is a foreign language.

“Like the brand itself, they would be honest, straight talking, confident and witty. They would be so earnest, so selfassured, so sincere, that to say anything other than what they mean would be a waste of time.

“Tony embodies these traits and brought a sharp and savvy wit to the role and added another dimension of humour, using his larger-than-life presence to tackle the mundane, everyday frustrating moments we all experience.”

Deep RiverRock introduced the 100% recycled bottle range across their full plastic portfolio in 2019.

Deep RiverRock has always been renowned for its irreverent, tonguein-cheek humour. Will the Nice One! platform continue this trend?

“Definitely! Over the years, Deep RiverRock has evolved to reflect changing Irish society, becoming a more modern and sustainable brand, but retaining its uniquely playful tone of voice.

“The Deep RiverRock brand is allergic to ‘twee Irishness’, and instead wants to celebrate what it means to be Irish in the 21st century. As always, the brand aims to have ‘banter’ with its audience and maybe even elicit a giggle along the way.

“It will celebrate life in Ireland today, and will champion important topics, like sustainability, but never in a patronising or condescending way.”

You have teamed up with Dublin comedian Tony Cantwell for the launch.

What will Tony bring to the campaign?

“Nice One! was developed to reflect the Deep RiverRock brand positioning and help counteract some of the cynicism and negativity that exists in the world. To

bottles have given us a point of difference from our competitors.

“We proudly use the power of our brand and our partnerships to champion recycling at every opportunity. This message is at the heart of our brand story, and is activated across all our marketing platforms, from packaging to point-of-sale, and of course, above-theline communication.”

How does the sustainability mission tie in with the Nice One! brand platform?

“Nice One! marries the brand’s commitment to sustainability, celebrating the small changes we can all make to protect the planet for generations to come. The brand will showcase how we can all play our part by choosing a Deep RiverRock bottle made from 100% recycled materials, and of course, by recycling again.

“And in the latest development in our sustainability journey, the plastic shrinkwrap around Deep RiverRock

The brand has also embraced the sustainability agenda, using bottles made from 100% recycled materials and now using plastic shrink-wrap which is also made from recycled materials. Why has the issue of sustainability proven so important to Deep RiverRock?

“Deep RiverRock strives to be a leader in packaging sustainability, pioneering new solutions, partnerships and infrastructure to achieve a true circular economy for waste. Most notably, we have invested extensively in recycled plastic (rPET), which closes the loop by keeping packaging in use for longer.

“Deep RiverRock introduced the 100% recycled bottle range across our full plastic portfolio in 2019 and we are so proud to have been the first mainstream water brand on the island to adopt a fully recycled bottle portfolio.

With the growing concern around Comedian Tony Cantwell is the Deep RiverRock Star, packaging and reminding us all of the positives in everyday life plastic waste, situations. our fully recycled

20|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail News Interview multi-pack bottles is now also made from recycled material – so consumers can feel good knowing that they’ve chosen a 100% recycled bottle, in 100% recycled material. Hopefully shoppers will agree that that really is a Nice One!” How important is it that brands like Deep RiverRock take the lead on sustainability?

“Since its launch in 1994, Deep RiverRock has continually listened to its consumers to ensure it could stay relevant and modern. It is no different when it comes to sustainability. Not only is our investment in sustainability the right thing to do, but it is what our consumers want.

“This was confirmed in a recent Bord Bia survey, which highlighted that brands that communicate sustainability credentials will buy consumer trust and loyalty for the long-term. And this is especially true of Irish consumers.

“For example, 80% of all Irish grocery shoppers said that they are willing to make changes to their lifestyle to be more sustainable – significantly higher than the global average. 71% of Irish consumers also said that buying more sustainably produced products will become more important in the next three years.

“Our own research has also confirmed that 73% of consumers across the UK and Ireland want to see our brands encourage the recycling of products and packaging, and 59% of Irish consumers want to see us lead the industry in pioneering sustainable packaging.

“We see a role for Deep RiverRock in being at the forefront of sustainable beverage packaging, which we believe will earn us trust, loyalty and ultimately share, for the long-term.”

How does the Deep RiverRock campaign fit into the overall Coca-Cola sustainability strategy?

“In 2018, Coca-Cola launched its global World Without Waste strategy, which sets out commitments to ‘design’ more sustainable packaging; ‘collect’ the equivalent of every bottle or can we sell; and ‘partner’ with NGOs and others to help clean-up the planet.

“Through investment in recycled plastic, more sustainable cardboard solutions, and ‘light-weighting’ of our packaging, over the last three years, we have proudly eliminated 5,000 tonnes of plastic from our supply chain annually since 2018.

“Deep RiverRock has been at the forefront of these achievements in packaging design, through light-

The Nice One! campaign is encouraging the nation to see the opportunities in challenges when approached with optimism, while also keeping Deep RiverRock’s sustainability commitment and credentials front and centre. weighting of bottles and its move to recycled plastic.

Moreover, Deep RiverRock has been activated to encourage the nation to make the greener choice and to always recycle!

“From the launch of the ‘100% recycled bottle’ in 2019 which bravely swapped its logo for the ‘Recycled Bottle’ message, to its ‘Made to Make a Difference’ campaign in 2020, Deep RiverRock has been a leader in sustainability communication and will continue to champion this at all opportunities.”

The new direction is being showcased via a heavyweight promotional and advertising campaign, as well as a new packaging design. Can you talk us through the new look?

“It was important for us to ensure that Nice One! lived on beyond our 20” and 30” TVC. We know that our target audience live and breathe ‘social media’, so we developed a suite of assets with a nod to cultural references and current trends.

“With our digital OOH advertising, we carried through the larger-than-life presence of our Deep RiverRock Star, breaking the fourth wall and bringing that earnest positivity to life, even through

visuals that don’t allow for a script.

“Through out-of-home photography, we ensured that the expression, stance and body language all laddered back to the key characteristics of our Star.

At all touchpoints (TVC, social, digital and print), it was essential that the Nice One! message was at the fore and that we connected with our consumers with clarity.

“The new campaign is also supported by a refreshed packaging design, portraying a vibrant and modern Ireland.

The confident and bold look is inspired by the landscape of County Antrim, where the water is sourced and bottled.”

About Shane: SHANE McQuaid, Portfolio Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola HBC, has been working with CCHBC for nearly 17 years. Starting off in the trade as a sales representative back in 2005, Shane transitioned to the marketing team in 2009.

Shane has covered a variety of roles and brands over the last 12 years, including Deep RiverRock, Costa Coffee and Fruice.

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22|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

TWIG

Virtual TWIG event looks forward to postpandemic world This year’s virtual TWIG Networking Event examined how learning from past events can help us to move forward and succeed in a post-pandemic world.

THE past can weigh heavily on your shoulders, or you can use it to guide you and propel you forward. That was the message to participants in this year’s Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund annual lunch event in conjunction with Today’s Women in Grocery (TWIG) to raise funds for those working in the sector who experience unexpected financial hardship.

The virtual event was attended by

over 500 people, and hosted by MC Sonya Lennon, with a line-up of five sterling speakers including: Gráinne Wafer, Global Brand Director for Guinness at Diageo; Roísín Hennerty, Managing Director of Ornua’s Global Foods Division; Sinéad Bryan, Managing Director at Vodafone; Sharon Buckley, Commercial Director of the Musgrave Group, and IGBF President of Appeals; and Chupi Sweetman, CEO of Chupi Jewellery.

TWIG Chair Sharon Yourell Lawlor emphasised that through looking back at the past, we can anticipate the future better, shorten our learning curve, predict trends and use them to achieve the results we want.

“We can build on our successes and avoid making the same mistakes,” she said. “And what better context than now, as we emerge from Covid to reflect, look back and consider the past, the recent Covid past or a longer horizon, to ensure we now move forward stronger than ever to build on our successes and position ourselves for future growth.”

A key event in the IGBF calendar IGBF President of Appeals and Musgrave Group Commercial Director, Sharon Buckley explained the importance of

Pictured at the RDS studios, for the Todays’ Women in Grocery event ‘Looking Back To Move Forward’ are the panel: Sonia Lennon, Chupi Sweetman, Roísín Hennerty, Gráinne Wafer, Sharon Buckley and Sinéad Bryan.

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|23

TWIG important event in the IGBF calendar,” Buckley said, “providing a fantastic forum for women from our industry to get together”.

She went on to explain how the IGBF’s fundraising has been “severely curtailed” by the pandemic, urging viewers to support the Fund in its work in supporting “over 200 families in our industry”.

While the sums going to each individual family may not be enormous, they provide “a lifeline” for those involved, Buckley stressed.

What would Arthur do?

Keynote speaker Gráinne Wafer of Diageo told attendees, that when faced with challenges the team she works alongside often ask “what would Arthur [Guinness] do?”: “Of course the question is not literally Roísín Hennerty, Managing Director of about what Arthur would Ornua’s Global Foods Division. do, but more about what is the core set of values and principles the event itself, both as a forum for that you need to hold dear when making networking and as a fund-raiser for the decisions…what is the lasting legacy you work of the charity. are creating?” she noted.

“In the very short time that we’ve “Thinking about what experiences have been running this TWIG event – this is shaped us, what were our highs and lows, the fifth event - it has become a really what patterns emerge from these and what

Sharon Yourell Lawlor, TWIG Chair and MD at Think Plan Do Consulting.

can we learn from this about what it says about us,” Wafer told the audience.

She spoke very honestly about maintaining the work/life balance, about the effect of the pandemic on her life over the last 18 months and about what motivates her to reach her full potential, and to help her children to do the same in their lives.

Addressing the theme: Looking back to move forward Reflecting on the theme of ‘Looking back to move forward’, Wafer advised listeners to respect the past, to stay present, which she felt was particularly effective in the pandemic, and finally to know your purpose, to understand “what you and your business stands for”, which can help you to navigate difficult times, to create a touchstone and meaning for yourself.

The theme was addressed by all the speakers. Sharon Buckley spoke about how the last year and a half has given her a greater appreciation, both professionally and personally, on the importance of surrounding yourself with individuals and activities that lift you up and energise you.

Roisin Hennerty noted that the period of unprecedented change brought about

by Covid-19 highlighted the importance

Sharon Buckley, IGBF President of Appeals and Commercial Director of Musgrave Group.

24|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

TWIG of diversity, belonging and inclusion to Ornua’s business. Reflecting on the beginning of her career, Sinead Bryan reflected on the importance of taking risks and backing yourself, while Chupi Sweetman spoke about looking back on her career and being proud of overcoming some of the early challenges she experienced as a female entrepreneur.

The event, sponsored by CPM, Musgrave, Diageo and Suntory Beverage & Food Ireland, also featured a raffle with six great prizes, including a Chupi 14k Gold TWIG Band Diamond Ring, which was won by Maria McKenna, Marketing Manager at Nestlé Ireland, and five overnight breaks in some of Ireland’s top five- and four-star hotels.

Sponsors of these prizes included GSK, the Doyle Collection, INUA Collection, Glanbia and Coca-Cola.

Pictured at the RDS studios, for the Todays’ Women in Grocery event ‘Looking Back To Move Forward’ are Sharon Yourell Lawlor, Sonia Lennon and Frances Higgins, Group Head of Promotions, BWG, and Vice Chair of the IGBF.

Pictured are (l-r): Lorraine Butler, Managing Director, CPM & TWIG committee member; Michelle Darlington, Marketing Manager, Ribena & Orangina, Suntory Beverage & Food Ireland; Sharon Yourell Lawlor, Managing Director, Think Plan Do Consulting, and TWIG Chair; Sharon Buckley, Commercial Director at Musgrave, and IGBF President of Appeals; and Kate Kelly, Customer & Digital Commerce Manager, Diageo.

The TWIG Committee for 2021, pictured at the virtual networking event.

The work of the IGBF Through the IGBF, enormous assistance has been provided to relieve hardship amongst those from the grocery industry and their spouses who have fallen on difficult times because of ill health or bereavement. The charity currently assists nearly 250 families monthly and will contribute over €560,000 annually in 2021.

The Fund is a registered charity, as well as a registered friendly society, and has historically been very wellsupported by the leading companies in the retail, wholesale, food and drink and services industries. Individuals in difficulty can apply for financial assistance and the awarding of grants is managed through a well-governed and totally confidential welfare process.

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|25

Employment Law

Changes to Parent’s Leave and Adoptive Leave

Barry Reynolds and Chris Ryan from DAC Beachcroft report on updates to Parent’s Leave and Adoptive Leave, which form key developments in Ireland’s work-life balance strategy.

THE challenges for working parents, and in turn for businesses, including the types of leave which are available, have never come more under scrutiny than in the past year and a half. The inadequacies of our pre-existing parental supports have come in to focus, but of course there are no easy solutions.

The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021 forms part of the Government’s work-life balance strategy.

It came into force in April of this year.

Whilst not intended to be a type of leave directed at responding to unforeseen emergencies, it will be welcomed by working parents and it also redresses a number of anomalies. In summary, the significant changes to parental leave entitlements include an additional three weeks’ leave for eligible parents, including adoptive parents. In addition, adopting couples can now choose who in the relationship takes adoptive leave.

Parent’s Leave Parent’s Leave supplements more longstanding types of leave, such as

Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Force Majeure Leave. So, what is Parent’s Leave? Not to be confused with Parental Leave, it is a statutory entitlement which allows either parent time off to look after their children. It was first introduced in 2019 with two weeks’ paid leave in respect of a child born after November 1, 2019. The leave had to be taken by parents within the first 52 weeks of the child’s birth or 52 weeks of the adoptive placement in the event of adoption. This has been extended by the most recent changes, with relevant parents now being entitled to take up to five weeks’ leave within the first 104 weeks of the child’s birth or 104 weeks of the child being placed with the adoptive family. Parents who have already availed of two weeks’ leave prior to April 2021 also benefit from this extension; they too can avail of the additional three weeks’ leave, subject to the rules around the birth or placement date of the child.

Who can take Parent’s Leave? An employee may be deemed a relevant parent for these purposes if he or she is:

• • • • •

a parent of the child; a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent of the child; a parent of a donor-conceived child; the adopting parent of the child; the spouse, civil partner or spouse of the adopting parent of the child (if the parents have not adopted jointly).

Employers should now therefore note, as part of their policies and procedures and resourcing and work-life balance plans, that employees within the above categories, in respect of each eligible child, may be entitled to take up to five weeks’ leave. This can be taken in either one continuous block of five weeks or in separate blocks of a minimum of one week each.

How employees go about taking Parent’s Leave remains unchanged.

Employees are still required to give six weeks’ notice in writing of their intention to take leave, setting out the start date and duration. If leave is to be taken in separate blocks, then separate notice

26|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Employment Law must be given in advance of each period. An important distinction for this type of leave, unlike Parental Leave, is that Parent’s Leave is non-transferable. Parent’s Leave operates on a use-it-or-lose-it basis.

This means that if leave is not taken before the child’s second birthday or within two years of an adoptive child’s placement, the entitlements may be lost.

Is there an entitlement to be paid by the employer? There is no statutory obligation to pay salary during periods of Parent’s Leave.

Other employment rights are protected during these periods.

Employers should note that Parent’s Leave is set to increase to seven weeks in August 2022 and nine weeks in 2024 in line with the Government’s work-life balance strategy.

Adoptive Leave Adoptive Leave was introduced in 1995 and has developed over time.

The current entitlement is up to 24 weeks’ paid ordinary leave and an The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021 forms part of the additional 16 weeks’ unpaid Adoptive Government’s work-life balance strategy and will be welcomed by working Leave. This has been a right of parents. adoptive mothers and in limited cases sole male adopters. Adopting fathers could avail of this leave only in the event that the adopting be adhered to. It may be no more impactful than periods of mother died. One of the consequences of this was that sameannual leave. sex couples were unable to avail of statutory Adoptive Leave.

These changes will be very welcome for parents and are This position has now been rectified so that couples jointly important in encouraging and safeguarding diversity and adopting a child can elect which parent will take Adoptive Leave. inclusion. They provide for greater flexibility when it comes to In addition, the recent changes have also allowed for Paternity looking after new children, especially for same-sex couples.

Leave for the parent who is not availing of Adoptive Leave, The significant notice period - six weeks for taking Parent’s thereby affording greater flexibility to many couples.

Leave - will immediately make it obvious that this is not The rules relating to how employees take Adoptive Leave intended to function primarily as a type of leave to deal with remain unchanged. Employees must give their employers at unforeseen emergencies. However, there is an exception to this least four weeks’ notice in writing of their intention to take six-week notice period where a child is born four or more weeks Adoptive Leave, and like many other forms of leave to include premature. In this instance, a relevant parent will be deemed Maternity Leave and Parent’s Leave, there is no statutory to have given the requisite notice if notice is given within seven obligation to pay employees during periods of Adoptive Leave days after the birth of the child. but their contractual rights are protected during that period.

We still really have only one type of emergency leave to look after children and other family members, Force Majeure Leave, What will these changes mean for employers? and that is very limited in scope. It is available where, for urgent So what should employers do to implement these recent family reasons, the immediate presence of the employee is changes? Businesses have the right to postpone Parent’s Leave indispensable owing to an injury or the illness of a close family in certain circumstances e.g. the unavailability of replacement member. Where applicable, an employee will be entitled to employees. Careful consideration must be given to refusing paid leave for up to three days in a 12-month period or up to requests. Refusals run the risks of potential claims, including five days in a 36-month period. The other options available for discrimination under equality legislation. These risks, in are annual leave or agreed unpaid leave or, more increasingly summary, arise where an employee is treated less favourably across various sectors, flexible working time. However, options than another connected with one or more of the protected for flexibility are often limited for many businesses, including in grounds. Employers will wish to ensure that they take as respect of retail positions, where customer needs and opening consistent an approach as possible and consider documenting hours determine when staff are needed in stores, not to mention reasons for any postponement or differing treatment of one other aspects of ensuring the supply chain functions effectively. employee over another. That treatment must be unrelated to any There is no simple solution. protected characteristic, of which gender is only one, of course.

That said, the option to take leave in five separate blocks may Changes in the pipeline work well in most scenarios for both parties and in particular There are many legislative changes on the way, however. These where the relatively long period of notice, being six weeks, can include various measures which also warrant handbook reviews

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|27

Employment Law and pre-planning by businesses. Statutory sick pay is soon to be introduced as part of the overall response. Other measures have been mooted – but various Bills have not yet resulted in any changes of note in terms of balancing childcare with business needs during emergencies e.g. proposed amendments to Force Majeure Leave for parents whose children are unable to attend school or a pre-school service by reason of Covid-19.

The difficulties experienced by businesses and by staff during the various emergencies presented by the ongoing pandemic unfortunately remain and there is no simple solution.

Employers need to prepare for an increased emphasis on flexibility. Imminent changes include: an imminent statutory right to request remote working, expected this year; and, possibly in 2022, a right to request flexible working in connection with Ireland’s obligations under the EU Directive on Work-Life Balance. Neither development will give rise to an automatic right to work remotely or to work flexible hours.

However, there will be requests for both of these arrangements.

The types of requests which businesses will receive will most likely include requests along the following lines:

About the authors: BARRY Reynolds (breynolds@dacbeachcroft.com) and Chris Ryan (chryan@dacbeachcroft.com) of DAC Beachcroft (https://www.dacbeachcroft.com/en/gb/locations/dublin/) are specialists in employment law. This article is for general information purposes only and does not comprise legal or professional advice. You should not rely on any of the material in this article without seeking appropriate legal advice.

Twitter: @dacbeachcroft LinkedIn: DAC Beachcroft Dublin

• • • • •

starting or finishing work at differing times; working compressed hours; having access to flexi-time; being able to work remotely; access to part-time or shared working options.

Of course, some of these may be more apt for some roles than others. In appropriate cases, businesses will have a statutory obligation to consider these requests. Many will be granted, it is expected. Others will be refused or refined.

Businesses will have to justify any refusal, most likely with a written, objective and reasoned response on why the request cannot be facilitated at that time or in full.

Flexible working hours must also be reconciled with the principles of the recent code or proactive on the so called right to disconnect. This includes management of calls and emails from those who may be working outside core hours to those who are not working those non-core hours.

Employers need to prepare for an increased emphasis on flexibility, with imminent changes possibly including a right to request flexible working in connection with Ireland’s obligations under the EU Directive on Work-Life Balance.

Key takeaway for employers Employers should review their handbooks and leave policies on a regular basis. For employers that have not put in place policies, they are strongly encouraged to do so on the basis that it is only a matter of time before an employee puts in a request for Parent’s Leave. Management will need guidance on how to handle such requests. More often than not, the request can simply be granted. However, the responses must be consistent and considered. Can requests be postponed? What are the relevant timeframes? What policy on pay is in place and will the employer ever grant an exception? These issues warrant consideration. For most employers, the minimum for now is to update existing handbooks or policies to reflect the changes to leave entitlements. Employers should also keep a close eye on the various other changes for working arrangements and leave entitlements as they are introduced over coming months.

If you have any queries or require any assistance in relation to any of the above, please contact Barry Reynolds or Chris Ryan.

28|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Soup

Souped up market The soup category proved extremely popular with Irish consumers during the pandemic, with growth across a variety of soup formats.

THE Covid-19 pandemic saw an uplift in the soup category in-store, for a number of reasons. Firstly, the closure of the foodservice sector had a positive impact on shelf stable, chilled and instant soup, as they provide an easy to prepare alternative to a home-made meal, according to the latest report into the sector from Euromonitor International.

However, they warn, ready meals are posing considerable competition, offering longer shelf life in comparison to chilled and frozen soup and a much wider range of options.

Stockpiling during lockdown led to growth in the instant and shelf-stable (canned) soup categories in 2020, according to Euromonitor, thanks to their generally low price and long expiry dates.

Preferences among Irish consumers are expected to change over the coming years, Euromonitor predict, with dehydrated soup is likely to see its current value and retail volume sales decline at a faster rate than recent years, as it is increasingly failing to compete with ready meals and, especially, with soup that is freshly made at home.

The growing health and wellness trend will drive retail sales of chilled soup,

which Euromonitor believe will compete strongly with ready meals and other quick-to-prepare meals, as it is perceived as a fresh, nutritious meal. Chilled soup is also anticipated to receive a boost in the short-term from office workers returning to work as restrictions ease.

Erin Soup Erin Soup have been at the heart of mealtimes across Ireland since 1963.

A much-loved Irish brand, Erin Soup recipes capture the rich delicious taste of quality ingredients, every time. At Erin Soup, they believe that it is important

Erin Soup’s new Gluten Free range includes Erin Soup Simmer Farmhouse Vegetable and Erin Soup Simmer Oxtail.

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30|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Soup that all members of the family can enjoy their products. With 15% of consumers avoiding Gluten as part of a healthy lifestyle (Source: Bord Bia Library / Euromonitor Jan 2021 / Mintel Dec 2020), they are delighted to announce the launch of the new Erin Soup Gluten Free range, which is available to order now in two well-loved formats, Simmer and Hot Cup. The new Erin Soup Gluten Free range includes four family favourite flavours; Erin Soup Simmer Farmhouse Vegetable and Oxtail, and HotCup Vegetable and Chicken. The Erin Soup Gluten Free range is available in retailers from October, just in time for soup season and can be found in the Free From/Gluten Free aisle.

Perfected over almost 60 years, the Erin Soup range is the perfect go

New from Erin Soup’s Gluten Free range: HotCup Vegetable and HotCup Chicken. to this winter season. Whether it’s a hot pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day, or an ingredient that’s used to create family favourites like hearty casseroles or creamy pasta bakes, Erin soups are bursting with savoury flavour and aromas and are loved and trusted by generations.

The Erin Soup range includes Simmer Soups, HotCups and Condensed soups and is available in a wide variety of flavours – from traditional Irish favourites like Oxtail and Country Vegetable to the new Gluten Free options available in four delicious flavours.

The Erin Soup range is available to order from Boyne Valley Group.

companies. BCorp companies are those who prioritise environment, community, workers, customer and governance.

Find our more about their BCorp journey at https://cullyandsully.com/bcorpcertification.

Avonmore This autumn, as soup season arrives, Avonmore are back with an exciting, limited edition launch into their 400g tub, Cully & Sully premium soup range. Launching from Cully & Sully is still Ireland’s number mid-October into the three multiples, one soup. It has been a tough year for their new Sweet Potato, Carrot and suppliers and retailers alike and they are Turmeric Soup boasts a silky smooth delighted with the continued support of texture, using fresh sweet potatoes, their loyal customers. “Our soups and aromatic spices and finished our new range of Risottos and Broths are with swirls of luxurious coconut milk. This limited edition flavour does not contain any gluten, dairy or animal produce, making it suitable for both the coeliac and vegan consumer. The limited edition launch will be supported with in-store POS, as well as extensive digital advertising.

Avonmore also support their soup range throughout the year as sponsors of the weather on RTÉ television. The new, limited edition Sweet Potato, Carrot and Turmeric Soup will join an already impressive range of five premium soup flavours created

by Avonmore’s very own award winning chef, Barry Foley.

Avonmore soups contribute the highest actual volume (58%) and value (52%) growth to the category and have grown in volume by 11.2% year-on-year Lentil & Smoked Bacon Soup and Smoked (Source: ACNielsen, Scantrack, Haddock and Salmon Chowder, two of the 52 w/e August 15, 2021 - Total exciting soup options from Cully & Sully.

Scantrack, multiples, groups all manufactured in Ireland and we are so & forecourts, excluding lucky with our manufacturing partners that discounters estimate). they managed to keep consistent full supply throughout the pandemic,” explains a company spokesperson, noting also how they hope to add some exciting NPD to the Cully and Sully range in 2021/2022.

Cully & Sully are also New limited edition Avonmore Sweet Potato, Carrot and delighted to be Turmeric Soup is sure to create a buzz in the premium one of Ireland soup market in the coming months. first BCorp

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32|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Brexit Impact

Still counting the cost of Brexit Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO of Scurri, examines the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the retail sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland, particularly in terms of imports from the UK. TO say the retail sector has faced an uncertain and difficult last 18 months would be a gross understatement. Despite this, both grocery and delivery services prevailed. Uptake in delivery was unprecedented, while food shops and supermarkets were one of the few physical storefronts to not face closures.

Yet we have been faced with a new challenge since the signing of the Northern Ireland Protocol on January 1, 2021. The agreement had a clear objective, as it aimed to solve the issues relating to one of the most contentious aspects of Brexit. The unique economic, cultural, societal, political and historical considerations associated with Northern Ireland and the UK separated it from the regulations already put in place for Brexit trade with the EU. Just last week, former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton addressed the tensions over Brexit and the Protocol, highlighting the seriousness of the factors at play.

The prevention of a hard border, complying with all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, led to the introduction of the Northern Ireland Protocol to ease trade barriers between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

While the concept and efforts were notable, there is no escaping that this Protocol has created frustrations for retailers and suppliers across the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic. Brussels is aiming to resolve all issues by the end of the year - but is this soon enough when examining our current situation? Issues regarding documentation and the introduction of tax declarations, VAT implications, and customs have led

to delays and disruptions in shipments.

Combined with the driver shortages across the UK, this does not paint a promising picture for trade at present and the situation looks to become only more complicated.

State of grace coming to an end?

As we approach the second scheduled date for the discontinuation of the grace period, this now coincides with the busiest period of the retail year, with Black Friday, Cyber Weekend and the Christmas shopping period all around the corner.

Almost a year on from when this legislation was signed, the concerns felt by all have not ceased - instead they have reached consumers in the Irish market, worried that they will be unable to purchase certain items at this busy time.

The end of the grace period on September 30, though originally due to draw to a close months ago, will still be arriving far too soon for many retailers and suppliers. In fact,

Rory O’Connor, Founder and CEO of Scurri.

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|33

Brexit Impact About the author: RORY O’Connor is Founder and CEO of Scurri, a technology company who help their clients to knit together all the different parts of their online shipping and delivery process. Scurri offer a robust and reliable platform, the right carriers, real time tracking and reporting, and promise to answer your calls and fix your problems when you need them to. “Imagine delivery, without the hassle,” reveals Rory. “We help online retailers quickly, securely & accurately manage the shipping of their goods to their customers.” For more information, visit www.scurri.com.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that we have seen imports to the Republic from Britain decrease, with the largest decreases in the imports of food, live animals, machinery and equipment. the UK has announced that they plan on extending the grace period, even though this goes against the rules laid out in the signed agreement. Boris Johnson has announced that the Protocol hugely compromises the UK and that the EU have been too rigid in their application of it. They wish to be rid of most checks and custom procedures and allow trade to flow more easily; however, this goes against what they had previously agreed to.

One group most impacted by this is the food and grocery business. EU food safety rules dictate that chilled meat products are not allowed to enter the single-market from non-EU countries, such as the UK following Brexit. The grace period has allowed this rule to not be implemented; however, the grace period will have to come to an end at some point. This would mean Irish grocers altering how they get meats delivered and failure to address this issue could mean certain products are missing from shelves for their consumers to buy.

Slump in food imports Already, we have seen the presence of new barriers resulting in a slump in food imports into Ireland from Britain. Figures

released by the Central Statistics Office showed that as we have seen imports to the Republic from Britain decrease, the largest decreases were in the imports of food, live animals, machinery and equipment. Uncertainty over when the grace period will come to an end only adds to this problem. Despite this, other statistics from the CSO have recently shown new dramatic patterns in the first half of this year and highlight that in spite of the confusion caused by the Protocol, trade has remained steady for the most part, with exports from the Republic to the North up to €1.576 billion from S1.1 billion the previous year.

While we are yet to see directly negative results in the Republic’s exports, many companies’ decision making has been impacted by concerns over the Protocol, and as a result, this has affected trade patterns. As the issue has so many heads, it is difficult for us to understand what is fully impacting the decisions being made. While Irish exports are currently strong, we can expect them to take a hit later this year when further restrictions are imposed but moreso, we can expect to see imports take a massive hit, especially at a time when this is less than ideal for retailers and consumers.

Recently it was revealed that goods imported to the Republic from Britain have fallen by a third as a result of Brexit - a decrease of S2.9 billion when compared to the same period in 2020. Popular grocery retailer Marks & Spencer cited post-Brexit regulations and excessive paperwork as the reason for this decrease.

Technology can help The tech is available to aid in combating issues regarding these new trade barriers and cross border challenges with issues like currencies, payment methods, duties and tax calculations, site translation, traffic generation and multi-carrier delivery management.

Despite these solutions, however, more challenges remain. Retailers that have responsive systems in place ahead of this will find themselves in the most flexible position when it comes to delivering cross border trade. However, companies that have failed to implement this, will find it challenging and lose out as a result impacting their own business and overall trade.

Retailers must have tried and tested logistics in place to combat any complications that may arise in order to operate a successful business but moreover to ensure they have satisfied their customers. Ultimately, the biggest changes will be made through regulation, but delivery suppliers and retailers have the power to make this unconventional retail period as simple as possible.

34|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Sellotape

Sellotape wrapping happiness Sellotape has Christmas wrapped up, with the launch of new Sellotape Zero Plastic joining the portfolio.

ESTABLISHED in West London in the 1930s, Sellotape has been a popular household name for more than 80 years, and was originally created by applying natural rubber resin to cellophane film.

Following the creation of Original Golden Tape, Sellotape has been at the heart of our culture, whatever the occasion. From helping people celebrate life’s precious moments through gift wrapping to sticking windowpanes throughout London during the Blitz, Sellotape has brought people together for decades.

With its reputation as the nation’s favourite sticky tape, the Sellotape brand continues to grow from strength

Sellotape Zero Plastic: a must-have in all shops.

to strength; the word ‘Sellotape’ received its own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1980 and in recent years, Sellotape has earned the ‘Superbrands Most Trusted Brand’ award.

Festive wrapping With Christmas approaching, as an iconic brand, Sellotape recognises the importance of wrapping happiness, sharing the joy within every gift given.

Not only does the season exhibit the magic of Christmas but it also inspires creativity within individuals; whether consumers are wrapping a gift or creating their own personal crafts, Sellotape continues to present ways to delight and excite shoppers.

Preparing wrapping in advance or hastily the night before, everyone wraps in their own way. Although each individual’s style of wrapping may never change, the message behind it will.

Sellotape Zero Plastic With Sellotape Zero Plastic, consumers, whether at home, school or even in the office, can take the next step to becoming more sustainable through this plasticfree alternative; a must-have in all shops!

Adding to an exciting array of Sellotape products, Sellotape Zero Plastic completes the nation’s favourite tape brand, encouraging and generating new and creative ways for consumers to share happiness this festive season, without compromising on quality. With Sellotape Zero Plastic’s excellent adhesion, consumers can show not only loved ones how much they care about them, but

also the environment.

Looking at the past, present and future of Sellotape, it is clear why Sellotape’s plant-based alternative is the saviour of festive wrapping.

At a time of magic and joy, Sellotape continues the tradition to be the musthave for everyone’s shopping list; share the love in being a part of someone’s journey to wrapping happiness this festive season.

Sellotape has been at the heart of our culture for more than 80 years.

36|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Origin Green

Bord Bia reveal Origin Green Gold Members No fewer than 50 Origin Green companies were recently awarded Gold Membership status, as Bord Bia launched their Origin Green Progress Update Report 2021.

ORIGIN Green members are continuing to make progress across sustainability comes from a powerful combination of changing a range of sustainability initiatives, according to Origin Green’s societal and consumer demands; and the requirements of major Progress Update Report 2021, launched recently by the Minister trade customers for Irish food and drink. Of direct relevance of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD. is the strategy’s goal to strengthen and invest in Origin Green At the virtual event, Bord Bia also announced that 50 and other sustainability supports to reflect the higher level of Irish food, drink and horticulture companies had achieved ambition for the agri-food sector. I believe that this strategy sets gold membership status, based on exemplary performance the agri-food sector on a new and challenging pathway, but one in reaching their sustainability targets. This marks a 100% which also comes with great opportunity.” increase on last year, reflecting raised ambition in the programme and sustainability from industry members.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD said that sustainability is at the centre of Food Vision 2030, the new 10-year strategy for the Irish agri-food sector.

“The commitments in the strategy are substantial, and have the potential to be transformative,” the Minister noted. “Food Vision 2030 charts a way forward for all of us in the agri-food sector to deliver on its key ambition - for Ireland to become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems. The requirement to deliver continuous Pictured is Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green and Sustainable Assurance (right), Bord improvement and Bia, with Tara McCarthy CEO of Bord Bia, prior to the awards ceremony. proof of environmental

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|37

Origin Green Origin Green Gold Members 2021 THROUGH independent verification, the following companies were awarded Origin Green Gold Membership in 2021:

Pictured are (l-r): Rebecca Gilligan, Paul Nolan and Marika Mahon from Slaney Foods with the company’s Origin Green Gold Membership Award.

Since its inception in 2012, Origin Green has grown to collaborate with 55,000 farms and over 300 leading Irish food and drink companies to prove and improve their sustainability practices to meet the evolving needs of global customers and consumers.

Origin Green progress report The Progress Update Report presents an overview of the latest developments within the Origin Green programme and highlights the significant and ongoing efforts of its members to impact positively on greener ways of farming and the adoption of more sustainable food production methods.

Key highlights from the 2021 Progress Update Report include: •

•

•

•

•

Sustainable beef and lamb assurance scheme (SBLAS) members recorded a 6.3% average reduction in CO2 per unit of beef; Sustainable dairy assurance scheme (SDAS) members recorded a 6% average reduction in CO2 per unit of milk; A subset of 400 SDAS members have decreased their average carbon footprint over three consecutive cycles of audits by 18%; Manufacturing members of the programme have set a total of 2,779 sustainability targets and established 13,600 sustainability initiatives since the programme launched nine years ago; In retail and foodservice, Origin Green’s 10 verified members represent circa 75% of the Irish retail market and have set a total

•

of 165 sustainability targets across the areas of sustainable sourcing, operations, health and nutrition and social sustainability; The scale and scope of the Origin Green programme continues to produce important results, with 290,000 carbon footprints calculated to date at farm level and over 53,000 farm audits carried out remotely since last year due to Covid-19.

To date this year, over 21,000 farmer feedback reports have been distributed to SBLAS and SDAS members to inform them of their farm’s specific carbon footprint, and provide targeted and practical guidance to farmers on how to manage their inputs in a more environmentally efficient way.

Kevin Donnelly, Managing Director, Britvic Ireland, is pictured with the company’s Origin Green Gold Membership.

ABP Group Áine’s Handmade Chocolate Annalitten Foods Arthur Mallon Foods Atlantis Seafood Ballymaloe Foods Belview Eggs Britvic Ireland Butlers Carbery Carleton Cakes Codd Mushrooms Dawn Meats Drioglann Sliabh Liag Durrus Cheese E Flahavans East Coast Bakehouse Feldhues GmbH Folláin Galmere Fresh Foods Glanbia Glenilen Great Northern Distillery Greenhill Fruit Farm Ltd Grove Turkeys Hazelbrook Confectionery Irish Distillers Irish Fish Canners Island Seafoods Ltd Janet’s Country Fayre K&K Produce Kearney’s Home Baking Kepak Group Kerry Fish (IRL) U.C. / Quinlans Fish Liffey Meats Newgrange Gold Nicholas Lynch Ltd (Nick’s Fish) Norfish Ltd Oceanpath / Dunn’s of Dublin Oliver Carty Pork & Bacon Ornua O’Shea Farms Sam Dennigan Shannon Vale Foods Slaney Farms Produce Ltd Slaney Foods Tea & Coffee Warehouse The Nestbox Egg Company William Grant & Sons Wyeth Nutrition

38|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Origin Green “Bord Bia is delighted to share the important results and industry leading achievements outlined in the Origin Green Progress Update Report 2021, as proof and progress continue to be trademarks of our world-class, national sustainability programme,” noted Tara McCarthy CEO of Bord Bia. “This evidence of environmental improvements compiled from our members, and verified by international auditors Mabbett, highlights that the programme’s vast scale across the Irish food and drink industry is what makes Origin Green unique and effective.

Our recent Global Sustainability Survey of over 11,000 consumers and 125 trade buyers across 13 Pictured outside the Butlers Chocolates factory in Dublin are: Tommy Murphy, key markets demonstrated Purchasing and Sustainability Manager; Katie Byrne, Assistant Quality Manager; not only the increasing Joanna Lawlor, Retail Support Manager; Michal Wolnicki, IT Executive; and Kathy importance of sustainability, Smyth, Marketing Manager, as Butlers Chocolates were awarded Origin Green Gold but also the growing Membership in 2021. importance of evidence and data to back up sustainability.

Our members are responding to this, by setting and achieving ambitions and results: “This increase chain emissions which incorporates all meaningful sustainability goals in their in Gold Members reflects the value indirect emissions (scope 3) associated businesses. Origin Green will continue companies are setting on this higher with food manufacturing e.g. freight, to evolve and adapt to best support our accreditation to differentiate themselves travel. members to drive positive and lasting from the competition in the marketplace; This year, Bord Bia also introduced a change across the supply chain.” and the meaningful focus companies are series of guidance documents and

now giving to their sustainability efforts webinars to help members set Origin Green Gold Members 2021 in response to the urgency of climate meaningful targets around some of As part of this programme evolution, change and the need for sustainable the core issues facing the agri-food in 2020 Origin Green introduced Gold development.” industry: Packaging Guidance, Pathways Membership, recognising members who

to Net Zero Guidance and Biodiversity are performing at a high level or excelling Accelerating future change Guidance document. in their sustainability performance. The Acknowledging that Ireland’s agri-food In July, Bord Bia announced a new number of Gold Members increased sector needs to do more to reduce partnership with the National Biodiversity by almost 100% compared to last year, carbon emissions, Bord Bia made Data Centre to support companies in with 50 companies announced as Gold recent adaptations to the Origin Green identifying and implementing smart Members 2021. programme focused on efforts to reduce biodiversity targets in line with the AllTo attain Origin Green Gold greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) within Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025. As Membership, a company must the industry. Until recently, emissions part of the partnership, Bord Bia is demonstrate exceptional annual reduction was optional for Origin Green funding a dedicated Biodiversity Officer at performance in areas such as raw members. the National Biodiversity Data Centre to material sourcing; water and energy However, with the introduction provide expertise and guidance on Origin efficiency; waste reduction; packaging; of the Origin Green credit system, Green member companies’ biodiversity and social sustainability. This year’s larger companies are now required plans.

Origin Green Gold Members excelled to establish emissions targets from Finally, this month sees Bord most in the areas of energy, packaging the 2021 reporting year onwards. This Bia hosting two further webinars and community engagement. marks a significant shift for the Origin on supporting companies on a pathway Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green Green programme and will see member to net zero (October 22) and farmland and Sustainable Assurance with Bord companies go beyond reductions of biodiversity (October 27) which will detail Bia, said that the 50 Gold Members had energy-related emissions, to include a the importance of maintaining farmland excelled in their sustainability targets more comprehensive assessment of their biodiversity and the practical actions and demonstrated industry leading entire carbon footprint, including value farmers can take.

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40|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Fuels

The heat is on!

Now is the perfect time to stock up on home heating and fuel products, as the weather turns colder.

THE evenings are drawing in, temperatures are dropping and people all over the country are looking to heat their homes. As many of us attempt to keep central heating costs down, we have seen many consumers returning to the lighting of open fires, alongside increased demand for mobile heating appliances.

Spot heating the home is growing in popularity, allowing users to save money by heating specific areas, rather than running their central heating throughout the whole house.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD recently announced that Ireland will introduce new standards for all domestic solid fuels over the next year.

From 2022 the following new standards for solid fuels will apply in Ireland: • Coal, coal-based products, any manufactured solid fuel or peat briquettes will be required to have a smoke emission rate of less than 10g/hour, reducing to 5g/hr by 2025; • It is not proposed to make any changes to the smoke emission rate for biomass products (that contain coal), as this is already set at 5g/hr; • The sulphur content permitted for all fuels will be reduced from 2% to 1% over time; • Wood sold in single units under 2m³ will be required to have a moisture content of 25% or less (moving to 20% within four years) and wet wood

•

sold over these volumes will be required to come with instructions for the purchaser on how to dry this wood; In order to accommodate those with rights to harvest sod peat, no ban on its burning will be introduced.

However, a regulatory regime to reduce its harm in more urbanised areas is under examination

It is estimated that these regulations will be finalised in the coming months and will be in place for the 2022 heating season (September 2022).

Bord na Móna Bord na Móna is an Irish semi-state climate solutions company helping lead Ireland towards a climate neutral future.

The business is now transitioning from a peat-based business and their focus in the consumer products area is to continue to develop and supply a more sustainable product range for use in the home heating category. “Bord na Móna will continue to develop a sustainable range of home heating products to meet the demand of our loyal consumers,” noted Brian Keogh , Head of Sales Marketing & Innovation, Consumer Products, Bord na Móna.

Bord na Móna will continue to sell briquettes into 2024.

From a proud past to an optimistic future, Bord na Móna have a long history of innovation, and today, 70% of the

This season Bord na Móna are launching a new eco-friendly Eco Firelighter: a natural, sustainable fire starter, made with high quality natural wax and fine wood wool. products in their home heating category are now more natural and sustainable.

This season Bord na Móna are launching a new eco-friendly Eco Firelighter. This is a natural, sustainable fire starter, made with high quality natural wax and fine wood wool, which is a renewable sustainably sourced wood waste product. No chemicals are used in the manufacturing process, making

NEW ECO Firelighters Supporting our products with

Point of Sale

A natural & sustainable fire starter Made from fine wood wool and natural candle wax

STOCK UP TODAY! Call us at 1850 744 755 or contact your local Business Development Executive

42|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Fuels fast lighting Quicklog is loved by consumers, creating the perfect base to get a fire established conveniently, cleanly, and quickly and is available to purchase in a take home convenient box of 10.

Bord na Móna offer a tailored after sale support service to all their trade customers, including product specific point of sale material to help educate, advise, and support shoppers in making the right choice Bord na Móna Eco-Logs are 100% natural, made to suit their needs. from sawdust and wood chips, are clean to handle Further information is and are growing in popularity and demand with available from your local shoppers.

Business Development Executive or contact the customer modern-day household. The Eco-Logs support team at 1850 744 755. are 100% natural, made from sawdust Air Dried Logs from Bord na Móna offer high heat output, a long burn time, are easy to light and are also a carbon neutral fuel. this a natural and sustainable ignition product, free from odour and suitable for open fires, stoves, barbeque, and garden chimeneas.

In late 2020, Bord na Móna launched their own in-house air-dried wood production facility at their Kilberry plant in County Kildare. Air dried wood logs offer high heat output, a long burn time, are easy to light and are also a carbon neutral fuel. Bord na Móna’s Kiln Dried Hardwood logs, with less than 20% moisture, and Kiln Dried kindling are ideal for stoves and open fires. While quality and value are key purchase drivers, being easy to carry is also a key priority for shoppers and these products are readily available in convenient carry home packs.

Many consumers are time poor and are seeking out more convenient fire heating solutions. The Bord na Móna Firelog, Quicklog and Eco-Log are designed to meet the needs of the

and wood chips, are clean to handle and are growing in popularity and demand with shoppers. An extension to the Ecolog eight-pack and 16-pack is the new 12 Eco-Log format, offering consumers more choice. Their condensed design is dry and easy to light, creating an odourless fast lighting fire. The extra

Flogas Flogas retailers benefit from complete access to their range of cylinders, from butane, propane and patio gas, to their exclusive Gaslight cylinders. Their steel propane cylinders are available in 10.89kg, 34kg and 47kg, while the

Flogas Superser and Living Flame Heaters are the perfect solution for your cost-conscious customers who want to instantly spot-heat a room: https://shop.flogas.ie/.

The Bord na Móna Quicklog creates the perfect base to get a fire established conveniently, cleanly, and quickly and is available to purchase in a take home convenient box of 10.

Gaslights are sold in both 5kg and 10kg sizes. Flogas also have a range of spotheating solutions, including their Living Flame and Superser Heaters, for cost conscious consumers.

Flogas are the only company in Ireland offering lightweight and innovative Gaslight cylinders. They can be used for barbeques, patio heaters, boats, caravans and fire pits. The Gaslight is a welldesigned and convenient cylinder, half the weight of traditional steel cylinders,

Contact Flogas for all of your Bottled Gas needs

Speak to your local cylinder representative today about becoming a Flogas retailer T: 041 214 9600

44|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Fuels grape seed logs. They provide users with an eco-friendly alternative for heating their home, just in time for cosy nights in.

“Our logs Eco Fire & Heating Logs are clean, carbon-neutral and residue-free alternatives to traditional wood, charcoal and peat fuels,” says Company Director, John Mulder. “In addition, they are highly versatile, easy to use, with long-lasting heat, and coals may be used in fireplace for home heating, restaurant cookers and fire-burning pizza ovens.

“With the nights getting colder, Eco Fire & Heating Logs are set to be one of the staple fuels for Irish homes and businesses this autumn and winter,” John continues. “Being completely carbon neutral and a 100% recycled natural product, there is no impact on the environment with regards to deforestation; we are so committed to no more deforestation, mining activities or usage of chemical binders.”

The product is packaged in convenient 5kg boxes or large 25kg bags, providing Flogas Gaslight cylinders are the smart choice for outdoor leisure. The innovative and lightweight cylinder will help your customers to avoid heavy lifting and the rust-proof fibreglass shows the visible gas level ensuring they never run out of gas. making it easier to carry. Flogas’ indemand Gaslights allow retailers to be one step ahead in the outdoor leisure market.

Flogas are one of Ireland’s largest LPG suppliers, with an extensive network of retailers nationwide, from fuel stations to hardware and homeware stores.

“We are known for providing enviable after sales service with nationwide coverage,” explains Emma Fay, Marketing Coordinator, Flogas Ireland Ltd. “Flogas retailers benefit from a dedicated local cylinder representative and access to our highly trained customer service team.

Our team of experienced engineers and technicians can advise on any technical queries you may have. At Flogas, safety is always our priority, and we operate a 24Hour Emergency Service, ensuring that assistance is there whenever you need it.”

Flogas continue to invest in their local supply chain, as they know cylinder availability is key at peak times. “With a network of cylinder distributors across the island, you’ll never be far from a local distribution point. Our investment in cylinder availability ensures you will have sufficient supply when demand is high,” notes Emma.

“Our professional image will help you in attracting new business and you’ll be backed up by our comprehensive sales support package,” explains Emma.

“Our sales team has experience in working with retailers to increase their

sales all year round. Our continuous programme of brand support, including advertising, merchandising and appliance promotions, ensures constant demand and higher sales for bottled gas.”

Contact Flogas today on (041) 214 9600 to speak to your local cylinder representative and arrange a no obligation meeting to discuss your needs.

Eco Fire and BBQ New Eco Fire & Heating Logs are environmentally friendly, 100% natural

Eco Fire & Heating Logs are environmentally friendly, 100% natural grape seed logs.

Eco Fire & Heating Logs are clean, carbon-neutral and residue-free alternatives to traditional wood, charcoal and peat fuels.

easy and compactable storage. It is priced very competitively with that of traditional solid home heating fuels. Once lit, the flame burns wonderfully bright for 40-45 minutes and maintains a consistent heat of 21mj/kg for up to three hours.

“Local distribution opportunities are now available, so get in touch with us,” says John, “and retail stockists are very welcome.”

For more information, visit www.ecofireandbbq.ie or call Brian Barry on 087 4569199.

Ultimate Nivea Skincare Competition

W

IN

The prize includes: • Nivea MagicBARs (Refreshing, Radiance, Exfoliating) • Nivea Biodegradable Face Cleansing Wipes • Nivea MicellAIR Rose Water 2 in 1 Cleanser and Toner • Nivea MicellAIR Rose Water Face Gel • Nivea Refreshing Facial Wash To be in with a chance of winning this ultimate skincare prize, please email your answer to the following question, together with your name, postal address and phone number to info@retailnews.ie.

Question: Are the new Nivea Face Cleansing MagicBARs 100% plastic free?

Closing date for entries is November 25, 2021. Terms and conditions apply. Judge’s decision is final. No cash alternative will be offered.

The competition is open to residents of the Island of Ireland aged 18 & older. Prize delivered to within the Island of Ireland only.

• • • • • •

•

46|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Personal Care: Nivea

Leading from the front Nivea continues to lead the skincare market in Ireland, female and male, while the company also takes a leading position on ethical issues, including sustainability and cruelty-free product testing, explains Paddy Carmody, Head of Marketing – Ireland, Beiersdorf.

PADDY Carmody, Beiersdorf’s Head of Marketing for Ireland, has witnessed big changes in the skincare market, both female and male, since joining the company in early 2013. One of the most enduring trends has been the rise of the ethical consumer, one who really values sustainability and is opposed to the testing of products on animals. This is an area where Nivea have taken a leadership position and have shown a strong commitment against animal testing.

“Nivea respects nature, from the natural functions of our skin to all the planet’s creatures,” Paddy reveals.

“Already for many years now, we actively invest in the development of alternative test methods to be able to validate the good tolerability and effectiveness of Nivea products. We continue our drive for better alternatives that may replace animal testing globally.

“As the world’s number one skincare brand, Nivea have a strong history of collaboration with more than 50 partners worldwide, investing in alternative, cruelty-free testing approaches for safe risk assessment.”

The sustainability revolution The company is also at the vanguard of the move towards sustainability: “Choosing sustainable skincare products is becoming more important every single day in order to protect our planet. Skincare can be sustainable in many different ways, from reducing the amount of packaging materials used, recyclable packaging, vegan formulas, to sustainably sourced natural ingredients.

All play a crucial part in helping to make the environment a better and safer place to live and breathe. Some great examples of this include where we are moving all our wipes in Ireland to biodegradable wipes and launching Face Cleansing MagicBars, a brand new format with no plastic.”

Sustainability makes good business sense, as Paddy notes: “We see more and more consumers looking for sustainably packaged products and ditching brands that have excess packaging.”

Nivea make sure they choose the most sustainable, responsible sources, the Marketing Manager explains: “It’s of the highest importance to us to ensure

harmless sourcing of our ingredients to protect our planet’s biodiversity and our climate, and to use sustainable palm oil and organic, natural ingredients.” This commitment to the environment extends to the way in which they produce Nivea skincare products, from achieving 100% of electricity from renewable energy sources in 2019, as part of their effort to decrease their CO2 footprint, to ensuring good working conditions for everyone involved in making Nivea products.

Driving the market Paddy, a proud Kerryman, reveals the other trends driving the skincare market, which they differ between male and female categories. When it comes to male skincare, for example, the popularity of the beard is on the wane, according to Paddy: “For several years, we had the explosion of male beardcare, but we now see that this is starting to turn. Men still ‘carry’ facial hair but it’s more stubble than beards and therefore, beard brands are in decline but cleansing brands are in growth. Men are using more face washes, face scrubs and even

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|47

Personal Care: Nivea

Nivea’s fantastic NPD pipeline is based around consumer centric insights.

masks. We also see more men looking for sun protection in their moisturisers as they are much more active, with more people having taken up cycling, running or walking during the past two years.”

One of the trends driving the female categories is skincare microbiome, which is seen as ‘friendly’ bacteria to support skin health, while more consumers are seeking out vegan products: “This is why we have launched various ranges from our Fresh Blends shower range to our Face Cleansing MagicBars to our Nivea Men Hyaluron range.”

A long history of success Nivea have been at the forefront of the skincare market for so long, thanks to two key pillars of their business strategy: consumer centricity and R&D investment.

“As Ireland’s number one skincare brand, we are always talking to our consumers, shoppers and retailers, and we hear the same soundbites coming back time and time again. Nivea are seen as the skincare experts,” Paddy stresses. “Nivea is a trusted brand. Nivea is a caring brand

“

We create fantastic products because we listen to our consumers, we produce products that are based on real consumer needs and give consumers what they want.

”

and Nivea is great value for money. All this stems from being consumer centric!

And our NPD pipeline is based around our consumer centric insights!

“A lot of brands strive for trust, but this is something that is extremely hard to ‘buy’. With over 130 years of skincare expertise, Nivea has been proven to be, time-and-time again, a dependable brand, leading us to become ‘Europe’s Most Trusted Skincare brand’. At Nivea, we create fantastic products because we listen to our consumers, we produce products that are based on real consumer needs and give consumers what they want.”

The importance of innovation NPD is vital to the skincare market, with its importance very much dependent on the category, according to Paddy: “For example, the body care category has relatively low penetration so new news is a great way of increasing that penetration and bringing new users into that category. For example, Nivea’s new Body Grad Tan is a great category addition as it is bringing new consumers

48|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Personal Care: Nivea

New Nivea MagicBars are a brand new format with no plastic, are eco-friendly and with their vegan formula, are going down extremely well with Irish consumers. to the category.

“Face is another category that needs new news. Consumers are constantly looking for the next big thing and that is where we have come with some amazing NPD e.g. Nivea Q10 60+ in the anti-age segment and Nivea Rose Cleansing range, which is amazing! All consumers and shoppers love new news and retailers know this and therefore retailers want to stock the new news that brings shoppers into their stores.”

Paddy is very proud of the “fantastic innovation pipeline at Beiersdorf”. “By only ever providing solutions based on consumer driven insight, Nivea drive growth in our skincare categories while bringing the ‘new news’ to the market.

We have a fantastic research and development team who are constantly pushing boundaries and launching ground-breaking innovations. For example, we were the first mass brand to launch sun protection and men’s skincare. Also, as our consumers see us as a time-trusted, reliable brand, we are in a great position to launch NPD. Our consumers know that when we launch a new product it will be of the highest quality.”

NPD in Ireland Here in Ireland, the success of the Nivea and Nivea Men brands stretches across skincare, sun care, hand care, lip care, deodorants and shower. This year’s innovations included the “new and super exciting” Face Cleansing MagicBars. The Nivea MagicBar Exfoliating Face Scrub with active Charcoal is a solid face scrub that is plastic-free, certified natural and uses 100% natural origin ingredients.

The formula is soap-free and perfectly optimised to your skin’s own pH level so skin feels soft an soothed. The scrub

thoroughly cleanses, while the beads of charcoal gently exfoliate to refine skin texture. The range is eco-friendly and with their vegan formula, are going down

“

We actively invest in the development of alternative test methods to be able to validate the good tolerability and effectiveness of Nivea products.

We continue our drive for better alternatives that may replace animal testing globally.

”

extremely well with Irish consumers, according to Paddy.

Also new is the Nivea Men Anti Age Hyaluron range, across a day cream, day gel and eye cream. The Face Moisturising Cream SPF 15 with Hyaluronic Acid is the perfect men’s face care product for healthy and younger looking skin. Its instantly absorbing, non-sticky formula visibly reduces deep wrinkles and

effectively firms the skin, whilst providing deep moisture and strengthening the skin’s elasticity.

“Both of those launches have gone extremely well with consumers and retailers. For example, our three Men’s Hyaluron products are already in the top 10 men’s category SKU list, with our hero Day Cream, with the added benefit of SPF, having gone down extremely well.

This means we are meeting a consumer need, whilst also helping retailers grow their categories. The MagicBars are being super well received and we have an average of 4.5 stars in our ratings and reviews, which is fantastic for a new product and new product format.”

NPD is a constant process at Nivea, who are just about to launch their Nivea Men Sensitive Pro range. Made with 100% plant-based hemp seed oil and vitamin E, the light formula soothes and moisturises the skin to reduce dryness and irritation for up to 24 hours. The cream is fast absorbing, meaning no oily feeling on the skin, and is also beardfriendly to keep facial hair from looking greasy. “It’s not only good for your skin, but the vegan formula is microplastic free and is packaged in a folding box made of 90% recycled material to help protect the planet too,” Paddy reveals.

“We are also moving all our Cleansing Wipes to Biodegradable Wipes, which is absolutely great news and very well received by our consumers and our retailer partners. Nivea cares for your skin and the planet,” Paddy concludes.

“At Nivea, we say yes to a sustainable future; that’s why we have made sure to make the wipes you love and trust kinder on the environment. Our new Biodegradable Wipes are made from a plant-based tissue with micro-plastic free formulas.”

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Personal Care: Feminine Hygiene

Innovation from Essity Essity recently launched their first ever reusable menstruation and incontinence underwear with Bodyform and Tena.

GLOBAL hygiene and health company Essity have launched a range of reusable menstruation and incontinence underwear, offering consumers a more sustainable alternative to disposable products.

The Bodyform and Tena reusable underwear launches come at a watershed moment when the reusable market is diversifying, and consumers are actively looking for alternative sustainable products. Research from the UK shows that over 50% of women are now aware of the environmental impact of the period products they use, increasing seven-fold between 2016 and 2019 (Source: UK Feminine Hygiene And Sanitary Protection Products Market Report 2020, Mintel, February 2020), with consumers claiming they are willing to spend up to 12% more for sustainable products (Source: The Green Recovery Report, Essity, July 2020).

The new ranges of washable absorbent underwear offer eight hours of protection and come in a wide variety of sizes, colours and styles to suit the different needs of consumers. Both products provide consumers with an accessible and widely available sustainable alternative to single-use pads and liners.

Reducing our impact on the planet “It’s no secret that we are all becoming more conscious of our impact on the planet,” noted Bodyform’s new intimawear reusable underwear offers Nicola Coronado, Essity Marketing Director UK & consumers a more sustainable alternative.

ROI. “Our decision to launch Bodyform and Tena washable underwear aims to provide consumers with products they want to see, that are kinder to the planet, from brands they know, love and trust. As the world is becoming transparently, alongside plastic pollution campaigning organisation City to Sea, part of the Women’s Environmental more conscious, and the reusable market continues to evolve Network (WEN) discussing ways to bring more sustainable at speed, we want to ensure the category is well equipped with alternatives to the UK and ROI market. forward thinking and diverse products, that provide the same, if Jasmine Tribe, Campaigns Manager at City to Sea, who runs not better functionality of those that already exist.” the ‘Plastic Free Periods’ campaign added, “For years now, Ella Daish, Environmental Activist and Founder of the we’ve been lifting the lid on the hidden plastic in period products #EndPeriodPlastic Campaign, has supported the move by and campaigning to make it easier for everyone to have plasticEssity, having challenged the company to consider offering free periods. A big part of this is the mainstreaming of plasticmore sustainable options back in 2019. “It is fantastic to free and reusable products by making sure these are offered see both Bodyform and Tena, big brands in the period and by consumers’ favourite brands. It’s great to see Bodyform and incontinence industry, leading the way in becoming more Tena responding to this challenge and launching their new range sustainable by launching reusable underwear,” said Ella. “This and we’d love to see other brands taking steps to remove plastic is a hugely positive step that will help make green options from their ranges.” mainstream and accessible to the masses.”

The underwear is available in sizes from small to extra-large, come in bikini, hipster and classic brief cuts and performance is Lifting the lid on hidden plastic guaranteed for a minimum of 50 washes.

Essity experts have also worked collaboratively and

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Loyalty Schemes

Reaping the rewards of loyalty schemes At a time when consumers increasingly want to develop a personal relationship with brands, and vice versa, capturing customer loyalty can be challenging for SMEs. Morgan Stokes examines at the benefits and difficulties of loyalty and reward programmes, and looks at which one might suit your business best.

TODAY’S consumers increasingly want companies to be loyal to them, with customer service and personal care at the top of the agenda. That’s according to Accenture’s 16th Retail Report, ‘Life Reimagined: Mapping the motivations that matter for today’s consumers’, published this June and surveying 25,000 consumers across 22 countries, including Ireland.

Irish companies are taking advantage of consumers’ desire to develop a personal relationship with brands and companies by developing social media personalities.

Bookmaker Paddy Power’s funny, tonguein-cheek posts have made them one of the most talked-about companies on Irish Twitter. Closer to home for the FMCG sector, egg producers Magners Farm have made a splash with their regular chicken updates, while St Tola’s Goat’s Cheese court customers with behind-the-scenes farm The relationship between customers and companies is becoming ever more photos that create a sense of intimacy. complex.

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Loyalty Schemes But is a sunny social media presence or a friendly voice on the phone enough?

The data suggests that savings driven loyalty schemes aren’t quite dead yet.

A 2019 KPMG survey, ‘The Truth about Customer Loyalty’, found that 78% of Millennials would switch to a brand that offered a better loyalty or reward programme, and 81% say that a good loyalty scheme would drive them to spend more time with the company.

In addition, any savings or reward driven loyalty scheme with a digital element can be a treasure trove of data on customer purchasing and habits.

Rewards schemes can also improve staff satisfaction, with supermarkets such as Dunnes and Tesco using plastic card-based staff discount schemes as an employee perk.

Things to consider: Designing a loyalty programme takes time, as does analysing customer purchase data. A smaller operation may find that the man hours necessary could be better spent elsewhere. Cost is a factor when designing an app or purchasing software.

The research claims that when customers feel that their relationship with a brand is personal, they can experience brand disloyalty as a betrayal.

It’s important to make sure you can follow through on the rewards, and don’t change rules too suddenly or dramatically.

You need to be conscious of your legal obligations too: any loyalty scheme that involves the electronic gathering of data, including points-based plastic cards and apps, needs to be GDPR compliant.

Mission-driven loyalty – capturing the value-conscious consumer: Brand-customer relationships in the ’20s go beyond special offers and a friendly social media face; consumers are increasingly making choices based on their personal values. According to the recent Accenture report, “Mission driven loyalty schemes can harness these consumer trends. Customers can give back by donating the monetary value of their loyalty points to charity, or companies can agree to donate a percentage of a purchase to a worthy cause.” Perhaps the best-known example is Ben and Jerry’s, which gives a portion of themed ice-cream sales to human rights causes. Closer to home, Circle

K saw recent success with their ‘Here for Ireland’ initiative, which allowed customers to donate reward points towards travel expenses for Irish Olympic athletes headed to the Tokyo games.

These schemes are great for PR, but it pays to be careful who you work with; you don’t want to scramble to withdraw support from a charity suddenly caught in a scandal.

Points-based plastic: A plastic, points-based card is often the first thing that springs to mind when we think about rewards schemes. However, designing such a programme does require a lot of thought. While there are many companies out there who will set you up with cards and software to allocate points and examine consumer behaviour, you’ll need to give a lot of thought to how those points are earned, what they can be spent on, and how many to allocate per purchase.

You’ll still need to be careful about data permissions, even if you’re only identifying customers based on loyalty card number alone. Plastic cards do have an edge over the higher tech solutions detailed below, though, in that customers of all ages and backgrounds are familiar with them.

Embracing the age of apps: Apps have some very clear advantages over physical rewards cards – for one thing, they’re almost impossible to lose.

You can also get an app with built-in functionality for tracking purchase trends. However, if you want an entirely personalised app for your business, there’s going to be a set-up cost. An app can also come with GDPR concerns around cookies and the gathering of personal data.

There are some third-party services that will handle all the above for you. Irish start-up Squid charges a subscription fee for businesses to use their app platform, which allows customers to collect reward stamps, covers privacy permissions and analyses data for you.

Keeping it simple – the humble punchcard: Shiny software solutions might have their advantages, but sometimes simple is better for small businesses. The benefits of a cardboard card that can be stamped with each customer purpose are clear;

The benefits of a humble cardboard card that can be stamped with each customer purpose are clear, with cost and branding advantages. apps, social media and swipecards might be best for gathering customer data, but they come with a learning curve and a higher cost.

Printing is relatively inexpensive, and can actually be better for branding – you can select a design that really pops and keeps your company at the top of the customer’s mind. However, these cards are notoriously easy to lose.

Upon a recent house move, this author found no fewer than 14 of them, with a single stamp on each, gathering dust in a bedroom drawer.

A booklet that customers can fill with paper stamps is more difficult to misplace and can come with a certain nostalgia; consider the number of families that own Superquinn reward Wedgewood sets earned early in the current millennium.

A physical punchcard is also useless for e-commerce; a concern with customers increasingly embracing online shopping.

Loyalty goes both ways No matter the size of your business or the type of scheme you operate, one thing is certain; consumers want loyalty to be a two-way street. If a customer has developed a personal relationship with your brand, savings and discounts won’t keep them around if you’re not meeting their needs, any more than buying your friends gifts will win back their favour if you’ve betrayed their trust. Free gifts and savings are a great bonus, as long as there’s honesty, consistency and reliability across the board.

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Food Waste

Combatting food waste – time to step up to the plate

Cormac Byrne, Danone’s Head of Sales and Circular Economy Lead in Ireland, argues that it is time for policy-makers, businesses and consumers to get serious about reducing food waste, for the good of the entire planet.

FOOD waste is the loss of edible food throughout the food value chain: at farm level, during processing and production, and at the end of the chain with retailers and consumers. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, more than one third of all food produced in the world is never eaten; that’s a whopping 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted each year, which, more shockingly, is enough to feed every undernourished person on the planet.

Not least is this a major moral issue, but it is also a significant contributor to the climate crisis; directly contributing to water stress, unnecessary biodiversity loss, and increased greenhouse gas

emissions. When food is wasted, it also reflects a waste of the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, transport and package, and if food ends up going to landfill and rots, it produces methane – a harmful greenhouse gas.

In fact, global food waste contributes 8-10% of total global greenhouse gas emissions; that’s more greenhouse gas than all commercial flights and yet only 32% of the public see the link between food waste and the climate crisis.

The latest climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale

reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting global warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach.

By raising awareness of the connection between food waste and climate change and informing people of simple ways they can help prevent food waste, we aim to inspire and engage businesses and consumers alike to take positive steps in tackling food waste and in turn, reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Leading by example In Ireland we waste over 1.3m tonnes of food every year, which represents a carbon footprint as high as 3.6m tonnes

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Food Waste the home.

Armed with the understanding and knowledge of what date labels mean, consumers can take a more holistic approach to addressing food waste in the home, following these simple steps: •

• • •

Cormac Byrne, Head of Sales and Circular Economy Lead, Danone Ireland. of carbon dioxide equivalent. Addressing the issue demands collaborative action from businesses, policymakers and consumers alike.

As a food business, we recognise the role we play in reducing waste in our own operations, as well as addressing food waste in every step of the supply chain and in ensuring surplus food reaches those people in need.

Globally, Danone follows the UN’s International Food Waste and Loss methodology in tracking food waste and is aligned with the UN SDG 12 to halve food waste by 2030 across the supply chain. We are also raising employee awareness of the impact of food waste through internal educational campaigns.

We are proud to partner with organisations like Food Cloud, a social enterprise that connects businesses with surplus food with charities and community groups that need it, and in 2020, we donated over 250 tonnes of products to community causes supporting people in need in the UK and Ireland. In order to drive widescale positive change in tackling food waste, we need to continue to partner and collaborate with our supply chain, brands, retailers and not for profits and empower consumers to make informed decisions, as well as continuing to support our local

communities through redistributing food where possible.

Small changes, big impact As a certified B Corp, we are committed to supporting consumers to make better informed decisions about food waste.

Irish households produce over 250,000 tonnes of food waste per year, at a cost of €700 per household, according to the EPA. While nine in 10 Irish consumers agree they have a role in reducing food waste, over 60% blame date labelling confusion. While ‘Use By’ dates indicate when a food is no longer safe to eat, foods past their ‘Best Before’ date can often still be eaten and enjoyed. We believe simplifying food date labels is one effective way to reduce the amount of edible food thrown out by households, and we support initiatives aiming to improve and harmonise food date labelling. That is why our yogurt brands (Activia, Actimel, Light & Free) are all switching from ‘Use By’ to ‘Best Before’ date labels. As food carrying a ‘Best Before’ label is often still safe to be eaten and enjoyed beyond the date indicated, this will encourage consumers to use their senses, such as smell and taste, to decide whether to eat food beyond its ‘Best Before’ date, reducing food waste in

Plan Smart: plan your meals before you go shopping - check what you currently have in the fridge and make a list; Shop Smart: study food labels and don’t buy more than you need; Store Smart: store your food correctly to keep it fresher for longer; Cook Smart: carry out regular fridge detoxes, checking food labels and using up food before it goes off.

The benefits of reducing food waste Reducing food loss and waste will not only lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and reduced pressure on land and water resources, it will also increase productivity and economic growth and lead to increased food availability for the most vulnerable.

With the climate crisis at a critical juncture, it is imperative we prioritise food waste reduction. The urgency is highlighted at international, EU and national levels through the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Circular Economy Package and the Government’s Climate Action Plan and Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, which highlights food waste as a priority waste stream.

However, we all have a part to play in driving awareness of this important issue and we must act decisively and make immediate changes if we are to avert a climate catastrophe. We are committed to working together with every member of our supply chain, from farmers to retailers to customers, to drive positive change. It’s time to step up to the plate.

About the author: CORMAC Byrne is Head of Sales and Circular Economy Lead at Danone Ireland, who recently celebrated their second anniversary as a B Corporation accredited business. B Corp. is an independently audited mark of trust that recognises a company’s ambition to act beyond profit and put purpose at the heart of its business strategy. Danone were the first FMCG company to be certified in Ireland, and the second company in Ireland overall.

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Drinks News Bushmills release 2021 Causeway Collection FOLLOWING the launch of The Causeway Collection to worldwide acclaim last year, Bushmills Irish Whiskey are set to make waves again with their new series of exclusive and elusive Causeway Collection releases for 2021. The ground-breaking Causeway Collection is a selection of extremely rare and unique aged and cask finished Irish single malt whiskeys from The Old Bushmills Distillery – the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. This year’s collection features 12 new releases to be launched worldwide across eight markets, and includes two bottlings exclusively released for the island of Ireland: the 2011 Sauternes Cask, a first for Bushmills Irish Whiskey, and a 1995 Marsala Cask aged in rare Marsala casks for an unprecedented 15 years.

Irish drinks industry adopts standards for influencer marketing

IRELAND’S drinks industry has pledged to adopt the first-ever industry-wide set of global standards for influencer marketing, under a new partnership aimed at further concrete steps towards tackling alcohol misuse and underage drinking. The global initiative, launched by International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), whose members are the leading global beer, wine, and spirits producers, in partnership with advertising, public relations, and influencer agencies, will help ensure alcohol marketing by social influencers is clearly recognised, responsibly advertised, and aimed at an audience over the legal purchase age.

Writers’ Tears launch first single pot still whiskey WRITERS’ Tears – Single Pot Still is the missing link in Walsh Whiskey’s rich portfolio of 21 distinct super-premium whiskeys.

Originally matured in bourbon barrels, the triple-distilled, single pot still whiskey was then further matured in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks from Spain and Florio Marsala Hogsheads from Sicily, before being cut at a juicy 46% ABV. This month, some 5,800 bottles of Writers’ Tears – Single Pot Still are being made available to Ireland, the UK, France, Germany and Holland, retailing for €59.99.

Tullamore Dew Honey launched in international markets NEW Tullamore Dew Honey takes a multiawarded triple blend whiskey and adds 100% Natural Bohemian Honey to create a liqueur that’s warm, sweet, smooth and filled with Irish character. Not initially available in Ireland, Tullamore Dew Honey is launching in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Bulgaria in 2021, with a wider release in 2022.

Mulrines’ juicy new €9.5m Aldi contract ALDI have announced a new €9.5m deal with the Donegal-based drinks producer Mulrines. One of Aldi’s longest serving Irish suppliers, Mulrines provide a range of Irish made juices to Aldi’s 148 stores, including Aldi’s Specially Selected Kildare Apple Juice, which is now packaged in new bottles made from recycled plastic.

Pictured at the announcement are (l-r): Peter Bough, Buying Director with Aldi Ireland, and Peter Mulrine, Managing Director of Mulrines.

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Drinks News Heineken raise a flag for sustainability SIX years ago, the world embraced the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are 17 goals that guide us to a more inclusive, just and sustainable world by 2030. Heineken Ireland, as part of their Brew a Better World sustainability programme, proudly support these goals with actions aimed at clean water, renewable energy, responsible consumption and production. To mark this commitment, Heineken raised the SDG Flag outside the Heineken Ireland Brewery to launch their Heineken Cares community funding programme. This initiative gives colleagues the opportunity to provide financial support and volunteer time to charities of their choice. Over the past four years, the communities programme has given almost €1.9m to 168 charities throughout Ireland. Pictured raising the flag at Heineken’s iconic Lady’s Well brewery in the heart of Cork is Thijs Derksen, Supply Chain Director, and Barbara Anne Richardson, Sustainability Manager at Heineken Ireland.

Southern Comfort launch RTD premixed cans SOUTHERN Comfort have recently launched new pre-mixed drinks in three thirst-quenching flavours, Peach, Apple and Cola.

Inspired by classic Southern flavours that pair perfectly with Southern Comfort, each packs a full-flavored taste and are the perfect convenient go-to for barbecues, picnics, parties and enjoying with friends. “We are delighted to introduce these new refreshing taste experiences to our many Southern Comfort enthusiasts,” noted Laura Scott, Brand Manager of Southern Comfort with Hi-Spirits Ireland. “We wanted to give our customers something different and not another seltzer.

These flavours perfectly complement the unique New Orleans flavours of Southern Comfort’s fruit and spice accents that you are now able to enjoy anytime, anywhere.”

United Wines to distribute Titanic Distillers LEADING drinks distributor United Wines have secured an exclusive all-Ireland distribution deal with Titanic Distillers, Belfast’s newest premium Irish Whiskey brand. The partnership will see Craigavon-based United Wines handle all distribution for the new whiskey through their extensive on- and off-trade customer base across the island of Ireland. Launching the partnership at United Wines’ 75,000 square foot warehouse in Craigavon are Titanic Distillers Commercial Director Stephen Symington (left) and United Wines Managing Director Martin McAuley.

Cola-Cola launch first e-sports partnership COCA-COLA are pleased to announce their first competitive gaming tournament, The CocaCola Copa Challenge, which will see gaming influencers compete against one another at the prominent Football Manager 2021 title.

Fuelled by the lockdown environment, gaming in Ireland is experiencing exponential growth, both in revenue and viewership, and is set for further acceleration in the coming years, with Ireland’s gaming community estimated at 2.7m people. Managed by a world-leading gaming company Gfinity, this e-sports partnership is the first of its kind for a leading drinks brand in Ireland and will see Coca-Cola engage gamers in new and exciting ways, with a focus on sponsorships, collaboration, and experiential moments.

Since October 1, leading gaming influencers are broadcasting their Football Manager 2021 fantasy draft tournament series to entertain this captive audience over a four-week tournament. A partnership with Just Eat is also a key feature across the tournament, offering exclusive weekly discounts and giveaways for viewers at home who tune in to the action. For more information, visit www.coca-colacopa.com/ie.

Powerscourt Distillery unveil limited edition single malt THE eagerly anticipated new addition to the ‘Five Elements’ series is a limited edition 20-year-old single malt Fercullen from Powerscourt Distillery, limited to just 1,500 bottles. This 20-year-old Single Malt whiskey is a marriage of five different cask styles, expertly combined by Master Distiller, Noel Sweeney (pictured), to form a genuinely complex and distinctive whiskey. The “Five Elements” include: a single distillery source; two types of oak maturation; American White Oak and European Oak; four different finishing casks - Oloroso Sherry, Pedro Ximenez, Marsala and Muscatel; five styles - Oloroso Sherry, Pedro Ximenez, Marsala, Muscatel and Bourbon casks; and the globally recognised touch and blending expertise of Noel Sweeney.

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Great Taste Awards

Irish and NI companies score strongly in Great Taste Awards Food and drink products from Ireland and Northern Ireland were amongst the big winners at the Oscars of the food industry, the Great Taste Awards.

A TOTAL of 377 Irish products were amongst the winners at the 2021 Great Taste Awards, as this year’s list of award-winners was announced on September 21. Out of the 5,383 products worldwide to receive a Great Taste One, Two or Three Star accolades from the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet, 377 are based in Ireland and these include; Ballyhoura Apple Farm’s Great Taste Three Star awardwinning Glazing Syrup, an apple-based syrup made in Kilfinane, Limerick; Carlingford Oyster Company’s Great Taste Three Star award-winning Louet Feisser Select Carlingford Oysters; and Wexford Home Preserves’ Great Taste Three Star award-winning Seville Marmalade, a bright and lively marmalade packed full of Seville oranges grown on a family-run farm in Spain.

Northern Ireland had another very strong year too, with 215 winners based north of the border, including Craigavon-based Hannan Meats, who took home a Great Taste Three Star award for their Sugar Pit Bacon Rack, a French trimmed pork loin

The supreme judging panel for the Great Taste Awards 2021.

traditionally hand cured and sweetened with a blend of three sugars. Lisdergan Butchery also won a Three Star Award for their Murley Mountain Rack of Lamb, produced in Omagh; as did Rooney Fish from Newry for their Millbay Oysters.

Following 86 socially-distanced judging days in London and Dorset, Great Taste unearthed the very finest food and drink, regardless of branding or packaging, with each product judged on a level playing field, according to its texture, appearance, composition and taste. Food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, retail buyers, cooks, producers and a host of food writers, journalists and social media influencers are among the 355 esteemed palates to have rigorously blind tasted and judged the 14,113 entries from 108 countries, while providing detailed written feedback for the producer.

Every Great Taste award-winning product will now be able to display the unmistakable black and gold logo, a stamp of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike.

All Great Taste Three Star awardwinning products are now re-judged to find this year’s regional Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2021, announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Reception, held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, following the first day of Fine Food Show North, a tradeonly exhibition organised by the Guild of Fine Food.

SuperValu SuperValu took home a massive 100 Great Taste Awards this year, making them, once again, the top performing Irish supermarket at the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink awards. SuperValu’s wins include 49 products from the Signature Tastes Range.

SuperValu won three Three Star

SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Riojan Chorizo Cular took home a Three Star Great Taste Award.

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Great Taste Awards Awards, and increased their awards tally by 26 over last year’s total.

This year the always popular, SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Irish Hill Lamb Rump Roast was awarded Three Stars, making it one of the highest ranked SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Sicilian Lemon products from an Yogurt won a Two Star Great Taste Award.

Irish retailer. The Signature Tastes Irish Hill Lamb Rump Roast is a naturally leaner, sweeter and more succulent lamb, lightly dusted with a sea salt, black pepper & herb rub. The free roaming mountain lambs graze naturally on a diet of wild herbs, grasses and heathers, including garlic, bilberry, samphire and rosemary. It’s this that gives the deep pink and juicy meat of the Atlantic Hill Lamb its uniquely sweet and delicate flavour.

Other Three Star winners include the Signature Tastes Riojan Chorizo Cular and the Signature Tastes Irish Hampshire Easy Carve Ham Fillet.

The Signature Tastes cheeses all performed well at the blind taste testing, with the Signature Tastes Gubeen Cheese, Signature Tastes Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Signature Tastes French Brie Raspberry Conserve won a One de Meaux, Signature Tastes Star Award thanks to its lovely Cashel Blue Cheese, Signature aroma and pleasing flavour of Tastes Gortnamona, Signature fresh raspberry.

Tastes Greek Feta and Goats Cheese French Brie de Meaux all taking home awards.

The already award-winning Signature Tastes Raspberry Conserve won a One Star Award thanks to its lovely aroma and pleasing flavour of fresh raspberry. It is the perfect addition to any breakfast table and is supplied by Irish preserve makers, Folláin, who have been working with SuperValu for over 20 years.

Other winners at the event include the Signature Tastes Kevin Dundon Christmas Pudding, Signature Tastes Sicilian Lemon Yogurt, SuperValu Lamb Rack, SuperValu Sour Cream, The Happy Pear Lovely Basil Pesto and the Signature Tastes Freshly Squeezed OJ. “We are delighted to see SuperValu come out as the best performing Irish supermarket at the Great Taste Awards for a second year in a row with a remarkable 100 awards,” noted Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu.

“SuperValu work with over 1,800 Irish suppliers and we are proud that so many of our products and local producers have received the recognition they deserve at these prestigious awards, which are the world’s largest blindtasted food awards. These 100 award wins are a real endorsement of the quality and value of our range as the Great Taste Awards are the globally approved benchmark for fine food and drink.’’

Four Aurivo products win Great Taste Awards AURIVO Consumer Foods have once again taken home top prizes at the internationally renowned Great Taste Awards 2021, achieving star ratings for three of their Connacht Gold butter products and their organic milk, Organic For Us. Growing on the success of previous years, the 2021 award winning products are the highly acclaimed Connacht Gold Butter with Sea Salt, Connacht Gold Garlic and Herb Butter, Connacht Gold Creamery Butter and Organic For Us Whole Milk. Connacht Gold Butter with Sea Salt received Two Stars, the second highest accolade awarded to food products at the UK and Ireland industry event run by the Guild of Fine Food.

“We are delighted that Aurivo Consumer Foods products have once again been honoured at the prestigious Great Taste Awards,” noted Stephen Blewitt, General Manager of Dairy at Aurivo. “We are very proud of the quality of our Connacht Gold butter products and Organic For Us milk. Aurivo’s milk suppliers and production facilities are committed to maintaining the highest standard of food quality and producing the best pasture-based products. Products across our entire range have been recognised by an esteemed group of judges. We are particularly delighted that our Connacht Gold Sea Salt Butter received Two Stars, highlighting the exceptional standard of our products. We take great pride from the Organic For Us Great Taste Award, as Ireland’s largest supplier of organic milk products and the growing interest in the organic sector nationally, this award further strengthens Aurivo’s number one position in organic milk.”

Stephen Blewitt, General Manager of Dairy at Aurivo, and Niamh Jinks, Marketing Manager at Aurivo Consumer Foods, are pictured with Aurivo Consumer Foods business products which took home top prizes at the internationally renowned Great Taste Awards 2021.

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Great Taste Awards ABP win 14 Great Taste Awards

The Inspired by Centra Rotisserie Chicken, available hot from the deli, won One Star at the Great Taste Awards.

Centra Centra claimed 47 accolades at this year’s 2021 Great Taste Awards, making them the number one award winning convenience retailer in Ireland, including eight Two Star and 39 One Star Awards.

With quality and convenience top of mind, the Inspired

By Centra range took home 17 wins, including the Inspired

by Centra Angus Striploin Steaks, which won Two Stars, the Inspired by Centra Rotisserie Chicken available hot from the deli, which won One Star and the Inspired by Centra Tomato and Mozzarella Sourdough Pizza, which also won One Star.

With everything you need for an award-winning breakfast, Centra have a huge selection of products to choose from, such as Inspired by Centra Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Superquinn Sausages, Inspired by Centra Cherrywood Smoked Rashers, Centra butter, Wheaten Soda Loaf, Raspberry Jam and Sultana Fruit Scone, all awarded One Star.

“We are absolutely delighted to be named top winning convenience retailer at the Great Taste Awards,” said Ian Allen, Managing Director, Centra. “Being awarded with 47 accolades at such a prestigious event shows the commitment Centra makes in offering quality Irish

Inspired By Centra Angus Striploin Steaks took home Two Stars at the Great Taste Awards 2021.

ABP have been awarded a total of 14 stars for 10 of their products at the Great Taste 2021 Awards. Two of ABP’s TDA beef products were recognised at the awards; ABP’s TDA Cote Du Boeuf was awarded their TDA Cote Two Stars at the Great Taste Awards Du Boeuf was 2021. awarded Two Stars and their TDA Striploin Joint was awarded One Star.

As part of a highly impressive performance, ABP received a coveted Three Star Award for their Certified Irish Angus Bone In Rib, as well as being awarded Two Stars for their Butchers Selection Fillet Steak, and One Star Awards for seven meat products.

“ABP are honoured to have once again been recognised at the Great Taste Awards,” noted Dave O’Connell, European Commercial Director for ABP. “These prestigious awards are a testament to the dedication of both our employees and our farmer suppliers to upholding an exemplary standard. The Great Taste Awards are an internationally recognised stamp of excellence and our track record of achievement at this event is an incredible endorsement of our quality Irish beef that is enjoyed by consumers around the world.” products to our shoppers. This is a fantastic achievement and one that we’re exceptionally proud of.”

Velo Coffee Roasters Cork-based Velo Coffee Roasters scooped up one Three Star, three Two Star and two One Star Awards. Their Velo Morning Fixie won the coveted Three Star Award, while they brought home Two Stars for their Guatemala Blue Ayarza Vinoso, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Colombia Dulima, and their Uganda Bukhanakwa and Ethiopia Awash River took one One Star Awards, for the second year in a row.

Suzanne Casey, General Manager, and graduate intern Madyson Savner with Velo Coffee Roasters’ six Great Taste award winning coffees.

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|59

Great Taste Awards The Cork roasters started in 2017 in a café in Cork City centre and now have their own roastery based on the fringes of Cork City. They roast a wide variety of single origins and original blends, many of which have won awards in the past. Last year, they were awarded a One Star Great Taste for both their Ethiopia Awash River and Velo The delicious Specially Selected New York Style Tandem.

Pastrami, one of the Two Star winners from Aldi “We were completely stunned Ireland. and delighted when we heard the news,” says owner Rob Horgan. Morning Selected Cashel Blue; Specially Selected Fixie was in fact the company’s original Cooleeney Camembert; Butcher’s coffee blend. Although it was Tandem Selection Fillet Steak (from ABP); and that brought them success in the Grow their Toscano Olive Oil and Specially with Aldi programme in 2018, Morning Selected Chorizo Ring (the latter two are Fixie was the coffee that truly started it UK-bought but sold in Ireland). all, according to Horgan: “Winning these accolades has brought us completely full Lidl Ireland circle and proved to the whole team that Lidl Ireland had 52 wins across their we are continuing in the right direction.” range, including Two Star Awards for six Deluxe products: Deluxe Duck Breasts, Aldi Ireland 2 Irish Angus Striploin Steaks 32 Days Aldi took home 53 awards this year, Matured, 2 Irish Angus Fillet Steaks including Two Stars for their Specially aged 32 Days Matured, Deluxe Irish Selected Cashel Blue Cheese, their Chocolate Cream Liqueur 15%, Deluxe Specially Selected New York Style Irish Salted Caramel Liqueur 15%, Pastrami and their Butchers Selection and Deluxe Irish Roast Chicken Breast.

Irish Fillet Steak.

It was Lidl’s high-quality range of “The entire team at Aldi is extremely beef that stole the show at this year’s proud of our success at this year’s Great Taste Awards. Available exclusively Great Taste Awards,” revealed John at Lidl Ireland, Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Angus Curtin, Group Buying Director of Aldi Striploin Steaks and Sirloin Steaks Ireland. “We take pride in sourcing supplied by Cavan supplier, Liffey Meats, as many locally produced and Irish both secured a Two Star Great Taste made products as we can, and to see award. Other winners included Irish these products winning awards on an Angus Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak 36 Days international level is something that Matured, 2 Dry Aged Angus Rib Steak we and our amazing suppliers should Burgers, Irish Striploin Steaks Matured be very proud of. We know that our 30 days, and Irish Fillet Steaks Matured customers want to purchase products 30 days. that not only taste great, but that are “We are delighted at the success of grown by and sourced from farmers and our Irish beef range at this year’s Great producers in the local community.”

Taste Awards,” revealed Kevin Haverty, The Aldi team are over the moon Buying Director at Lidl Ireland. “At Lidl, to have secured the most awards for a we strive to provide our customers private label range in Ireland, according with high quality, affordable, Irish to Curtin. Their award winners include products and these awards solidify this eight Two Star Awards for: Specially commitment. It’s a testament to the Selected Smoked Wafer Thin New York collaborative work and efforts of our Style Pastrami; Kavanagh’s Jumbo Irish buying team and local supplier Porridge Oats; Specially Selected Irish base who deliver such high-quality Free Range Whole Goose; Specially products at market leading value.”

Attyflin Estate Irish Rosette Apple Juice LIMERICK-based Attyflin Estate’s renowned Irish Rosette Apple Juice has won the highest accolade at the Great Taste Awards 2021, taking home a Three Star Award.

Their Irish Rosette Apple Juice is the only apple variety of its kind produced in Ireland and is the result of extensive research by husband and wife team, Brian and Bridget O’Connell, owners of Attyflynn Estate, in particular visiting centres of excellence in the South Tyrol region in Italy. Four years ago, the decision was made to increase the number of Rosette Apple trees within their orchards up to 1,000, and this year’s harvest is likely to yield approximately 5,000 bottles of the limited-edition Irish Rosette Apple juice, which will be available to the market. Each drop of juice boasts the most distinct flavour and colour thanks to the marbled red flesh running through the Rosette apple.

Brian described their Three Star Award win as “recognition of the hard-work and dedication of the team here at Attyflin Estate and the realisation of our ambitions to create a premium Rosette Apple juice.”

Attyflin Estate’s renowned Irish Rosette Apple Juice brought home a Three Star Great Taste Award.

60|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

RETAIL PRICES SEE SHARPEST GROWTH SINCE NOVEMBER 2011 THE end of Covid restrictions is in sight and this positivity is reflected in many retail indicators. Headline sales figures are ahead of pre-Covid times and sentiment is relatively high. Consumers are gradually putting the worries of the past couple of years behind them, fuelled by Brexit first and then Covid-19.

For the first time since last December, footfall levels are edging closer to the EU average. We are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, although this isn’t the case in all retail districts. The next phase of reopening, and the return to offices, are key to the revival of key urban retail districts.

There are, of course, other economic trends that will have a bearing on the performance of retail over the coming months. Retail Ireland’s latest Monitor reports that prices across the economy increased by 2.8% in August 2021, the sharpest level of price growth since November 2011.

The acceleration in prices can be attributed to the reopening of the economy after lockdown, as well as supply chain blockages, higher oil prices and Brexit.

Prices have increased for 10 straight months, the longest sequence of monthly inflation since 2007.

However, price rises are not yet being felt in the grocery sector, which reports zero inflation over the last 12

months,

largely due to intense competition across the sector.

Similarly, price levels have dropped in other categories of retail, such as clothing and footwear.

In contrast, prices in restaurants and hotels increased, primarily due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food, as well as an increase in the cost of hotel accommodation.

There was also an increase in the price of transport, primarily due to higher prices for petrol and diesel, and an increase in airfares.

REVIVING POST-COVID TOWNS AND CITIES IS A KEY PRIORITY COVID has seriously undermined the economic and social vitality of many of our town and city centres. Even with retail restrictions lifted, footfall is still dramatically reduced in certain key retail districts.

Many retail businesses have closed permanently, and others are struggling. Returning footfall to pre-pandemic levels must be a key priority in the recovery effort.

Retail Ireland’s Budget submission called for new measures to attract people back, along with long term strategies to foster vibrant, accessible, attractive, safe, and liveable towns and cities.

Crime and anti-social behaviour also remain a major challenge for many retailers. Businesses are doing what they can to prevent crimes occurring, but without a high frequency of patrols by An Garda Síochána there is little that individual retailers can do to alleviate this in the longer term.

Retail Ireland called for Budget 2022 to increase funding levels to An Garda Síochána to allow them to effectively deploy resources to reduce retail crime levels and also for additional funding to expand the National Fraud Unit.

Tel: 01-6051558 www.retailireland.ie Need more?

For more information about what we do and how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie.

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|61

What's New NORDIC SPIRIT: NEVER MISS A MOMENT

CADBURY DAIRY MILK BUTTONS LAUNCH MINT FLAVOUR

Friluftsliv, pronounced Free-LoofsLeaf, is a Nordic concept which means a commitment to spending time outdoors, no matter the weather.

It’s time out from technology and the stresses of life. It’s about self-care, socialising and making the most of every moment. That’s why Nordic Spirit is perfect for Friluftsliv. The nicotine pouches can be enjoyed with no fuss, and simply popped back into the can when finished. So you can enjoy the great outdoors, and never miss a moment. Note: 18+, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance.

CADBURY Ireland have revealed a brand-new flavour variant to the Buttons line-up. The Cadbury Dairy Milk Mint Buttons are made up of the iconic Dairy Milk we all know and love, infused with real peppermint oil, to create a perfectly smooth and minty fresh combination. The newest member of the Cadbury Dairy Milk family is now available exclusively to Tesco (RRP €3).

Cadbury have also extended their biscuit range with the addition of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Mint Fingers Chocolate Biscuits (RRP €1.96). “Our expert chocolatiers have crafted the perfect blend of delicious Cadbury chocolate and mint,” noted Cadbury Ireland Brand Manager, Eileen Leahy. “We’re delighted to be able to give the people what they want and introduce the new mint range.”

BREWIN’ UP A STORM WITH ALPRO’S BARISTA RANGE COFFEE lovers can embrace their inner plant-based barista and brew their favourite blend at home with Alpro’s Barista range of Oat, Almond, Coconut and Soya drinks, 100% plant-based (obvs) and specially made for hot drinks. This tempting delight ticks all the boxes too; low in sugars, naturally low in saturated fat and dressed to impress in 100% recyclable packaging!

MASH DIRECT UNVEIL ECO LABELLING ON-PACK MASH Direct, the award-winning ‘fieldto-fork’ vegetable accompaniments brand, have partnered with nonprofit organisation Foundation Earth to launch a new line of ecological labelling.

Eco labelling advises on the environmental impact of a product as a whole, and is designed to allow consumers to easily make more sustainable choices whilst shopping. The new labelling is currently applied to five of Mash Direct’s popular products, Mashed Potato, Champ, Carrots & Parsnips, Mashed Turnip and Colcannon.

MIWADI LIVENS UP SQUASH BRAND WITH VITAMIN D MIWADI have launched an extensive €1m marketing campaign to support a new look for their entire portfolio, as well as the reformulation of the popular MiWadi 0% Sugar range, which is now fortified with Vitamins B and D. The creative platform for the MiWadi campaign invites consumers to ‘Liven Up Your Water and Let There Be Fruit’ and is executed with a brand new TV commercial, in-store, PR, social and a national broadcast media partnership with Today FM.

PRINGLES MASCOT GETS BOLD NEW LOOK MR. P, the moustachioed mascot for Pringles, has enjoyed his first makeover in 20 years. After an eye-catching transformation, the playful Mr. P will now sport a modern look, including bold new eyebrows and a fancy new red bow tie. Mr.P’s new look has also seen him lose his hair, but at 54 years old, he is still looking as handsome as ever. It’s not just Mr. P who has had a glow-up; the iconic cans have also been given a fresh new look. They will now feature new bright and bold packaging, highlighting Pringles’ range of flavours and of course, their famous stackable shape.

62|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Forecourt Focus: News Irish forecourts lead the switch to electric vehicles in Europe NEW research shows that Irish forecourts lead Europe when it comes to access to electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Research carried out across 19 countries last year showed that Ireland has Leading the highest percentage of service the Charge. stations with EV charging points on-site.

Irish forecourts are four times more likely than their British counterparts to have EV charging facilities in place, meaning drivers of EVs and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) can readily access the power they need.

“As the Government looks to achieve its target of having almost one million EVs on the road by EV Charging Report 2021 2030, this research shows Fuels for Ireland members are playing a key role in moving Irish transport into a new era, even though there are obstacles which need to be addressed if the Government wants to get one million EVs on the road,” said Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland.

“This research demonstrates that Irish forecourts are leading Europe when it comes to developing an EV charging infrastructure.

Between 2015 and 2020, the number of EV charging points in place EV Charging Report 2021

1

across our networks increased by 50%, and if we get the necessary support, we can greatly expand on this significantly in the coming years,” McPartlan said.

The Government has committed to increasing the number of EVs to almost one million by 2030. However, early indications suggest that they are falling short of this, with only 14,000 fully electric vehicles currently registered in Ireland.

Growing concerns have been expressed about the inadequate public EV charging infrastructure currently in place, something which the PRO of the Irish EV Owners Association (IEVOA), Kevin Dowling, said was a real challenge: “Prospective EV drivers will be more hesitant to make the switch from their petrol/diesel vehicle if they’re not comfortable that they can charge at any forecourt akin to how they fill their cars today. This is especially true of folks who do not have the ability to charge at home.

“That is why expanding the EV infrastructure on forecourts is essential to meeting our goals. Service stations have a number of advantages - being located on the key routes that people use, having trained personnel on-hand - and they can play a vital role in assisting in this shift to a new and cleaner form of transportation.”

Fuels for Ireland’s Kevin McPartlan called on Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan to ensure that Irish forecourts can access Climate Action Fund resources to install more charging points, while also urging that steps be taken to ensure that forecourts can connect to the grid speedily, and gain energy savings credits by offering electric charging on their sites.

Texaco Children’s Art Competition winners announced PJ Doherty, a 16-year old student at St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny, has been chosen as the overall winner of this year’s 67th Texaco Children’s Art Competition, taking first prize in the senior 16-18 years age category. His winning work, for which he receives a prize of €1,500, is entitled ‘Me And My Dad’ and is a portrait study in coloured pencil of the artist and his father, Patrick. No stranger to the Competition, PJ won first prize in the 14-15 years age category in 2020 for his self-portrait.

In Category B (14-15 years), first prize (€450) was won by Kerry student Clodagh McCluskey (aged 15) from Presentation Secondary School, Tralee. Philippa Dunlop (aged 12) from St. Andrew’s National School, Malahide, Co. Dublin, won first prize (€350) Young Donegal artist, PJ Doherty, a 16-year old student from St in Category C (12-13 years). In Category D Eunan’s College, Letterkenny, overall winner of the year’s 67th (9-11 years), first prize (€250) was won by Texaco Children’s Art Competition, pictured with his father, Patrick 11-year-old Mae Cowper-Gray, a pupil at Scoil and his winning artwork, ‘Me And My Dad’.

Bhríde, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. In Category E (7-8 years), first prize (€200) was won by eight-year-old Wicklow student, Ella Kelly, from Saints Michael and Peter Junior from young artists of all ages with special needs, for the third School, Arklow, Co. Wicklow. Four-year-old Muhammad Hadi year in succession.

Qureshi, from Parish Community Woman Centre, Mullingar, Co. The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded Westmeath, won first prize in Category F (6 years and younger), as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts while 16-year-old James Moonan from The Arthouse, Drogheda, sponsorship in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back Co. Lough, won first prize in Category G, reserved for entries to the very first competition held in 1955

Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie|63

Forecourt Focus: News Circle K launch Marvel Shieldz promotion

Corrib Oil acquire H2 Group

CORRIB Oil have entered an agreement to acquire H2 Group, subject to approval by the competition regulator, in a deal which will see Corrib Oil acquire 13 high quality retail sites based across the south and east of Ireland, expanding the Corrib Retail footprint to 33 stores in total. The new sites are located in Listowel, Co. Kerry, Kildare, Limerick, Tipperary, Dublin, Laois, Offaly and Cork.

Corrib Oil, founded in Claremorris in 1987, operates two distinct divisions, Corrib Retail and Corrib Distribution. Corrib Retail currently operates 20 convenience stores with forecourts; while Corrib Distribution, a leading distributor of heating oils and fuel, operates through 21 depots across 14 counties. Having maintained a 22-year relationship with BWG Foods, all Corrib Retail convenience stores are branded as Spar, while all forecourts are branded Circle K or Texaco, with in-store partners including Insomnia and Chopped.

“In H2 Group, we see great potential and have acquired a network of strong and profitable businesses, led by an expert team,” noted Eugene Dalton, Chief Executive Officer, Corrib Oil. “Adding the company’s leading and strategically positioned retail sites to our portfolio expands our presence and our retail footprint across the country, with 54 sites in 16 counties. Our expanded business will have the scale, breadth and capabilities to compete more effectively and offer an enhanced and expanded service to more customers, through our leading brand partners and our home heating and oil services.”

CIRCLE K have launched a new Marvel Shieldz promotion nationwide. With every €5 or more purchased in Circle K stores (excluding Circle K Express) and €25 or more fuel purchased at all Circle K stores and participating Express stations, customers will receive a free stamp and collectible Marvel shield. There are 24 Marvel Shieldz to collect in total, and customers who collect six stamps receive great discounts off exclusive Marvel heroes merchandise. To scan Shieldz and access free Marvel games, download the Marvel Shieldz app. For more information on the offer and how to redeem stamps for discounts off merchandise, please visit www.circlek.ie.

Kenzie and Alex (both aged five) and professional cosplayer Alan Fay are pictured at the launch of Circle K’s new Marvel Shieldz promotion in participating stores nationwide.

Applegreen continue to support Irish Youth Foundation APPLEGREEN are donating €100,000 to support children and young people experiencing disadvantage through the Blossom Fund in aid of the Irish Youth Foundation. The primary focus of the fund is to support children and young people aged 6-18 from disadvantaged areas to remain in education.

The Blossom Fund is part of the Applegreen Charitable Fund, providing monetary support to four Irish charity partners. Every time an Applegreen customer makes a shop or fuel purchase in Applegreen in Ireland, the company donates one cent to the Applegreen Charitable Fund on the customer’s behalf, to the Irish Youth Foundation, Pieta House, Food Cloud and Enable Ireland through the fund.

“At Applegreen, it is important to us that we give back meaningfully to our local communities,” noted Fiona Matthews, Managing Director, Applegreen Ireland. “Over the past two years, we have seen first-hand the significant value that the Irish Youth Foundation gains from Applegreen Blossom Fund contributions.

This year, the fund seeks to address a particularly concerning trend in education, and we hope to play our part in supporting children in our communities.”

Research carried out by the Irish Youth Foundation has revealed that one in 10 young people from disadvantaged areas are no longer progressing from primary to secondary education

Pictured are Fiona Matthews, Applegreen Ireland MD; Seamus Stapleton, Commercial Director, Applegreen Ireland; and Christy Vickers, Irish Youth Foundation. as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. This trend has prompted the Irish Youth Foundation to use the Applegreen Blossom Fund to encourage young people to re-engage with their services and continue learning.

For more information on the Applegreen Blossom Fund and to apply for funding, see https://iyf.ie/grants/.

64|Retail News|October 2021|www.retailnews.ie

Shelf Life THE Mid-West Region of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund is holding its Black-Tie Ball on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick. The Ball is the major fundraising activity of the year for the Mid-West region and all proceeds go directly to support the less fortunate members within the grocery trade. There will be fantastic spot prizes on the night. Tickets are €125 per person and Tables of 10 are €1250. For more information, contact Hotel Solutions DMC: Tel: (01) 6309211 or email info@hotel-solutions.ie.

ALDI have launched a brand new chocolate bar with Tony’s Chocolonely in an Irish supermarket first. The own-label Choceur Choco Changer is now available as a Specialbuy in Aldi stores across Ireland. The chocolate bar is Fairtrade certified and 100% responsibly sourced, adopting all of Tony’s Open Chain five sourcing principles to support cocoa farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and guaranteeing a transparent and traceable supply chain.

Available in three indulgent flavours, Hazelnut, Salted Caramel and 70% Dark Chocolate, each bar sold means an additional premium is passed directly on to cocoa farmers. As the first supermarket to join Tony’s Open Chain in December 2020, Aldi are committed to supporting Tony’s ambitious mission to change the norm in the chocolate industry.

AT their recent Christmas conference in Manchester, Dealz told their 18,000 colleagues they would again give everyone a well-deserved break on St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day and keep their stores closed. Barry Williams, Dealz Managing Director, said that throughout the pandemic their staff “have been heroes – quietly turning up to work to serve their communities right across the UK and Ireland.”

TO mark Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, Centra and the Irish Cancer Society are encouraging the women and men of Ireland to ‘Care For Your Pair’. The ‘Care for Your Pair’ movement encourages people to start a conversation about breast health with two of their loved ones this October.

Centra have been a proud supporter of the Irish Cancer Society for 12 years and this year, from October 1-3 in participating Centra stores nationwide, customers could choose to add €1 to their bill at the till to donate to this worthy cause.

CHRISTMAS market goers and craft lovers will be delighted as Ballymaloe Craft Fair makes a welcome return to Ballymaloe Grainstore for two weekends, from November 19-21 and 26-28 when the fabulous Ballymaloe Grainstore transforms into a magical market, with over 150 stalls showcasing and selling artisan products from Ireland’s finest food producers, artists, designers and craft brewers.

Bewley’s have announced the appointment of Julie Murray as their new Head of Coffee Culture for Ireland and UK. She will be responsible for building strong relationships with coffee farmers in the Bewley’s network and telling their stories, both internally and externally, with a focus on driving a positive coffee culture. In this new role, Julie will work closely with the Bewley’s marketing team to deliver business strategies, new beverage development, alongside product and equipment innovation.

AWARD-winning ice cream brand, Wheyhey, is making strides in the UK, where it is now available nationwide in M&S, Spar and directly via Wheyhey.com. Healthy doesn’t mean boring – the sugar-free ice cream is ideal for those with a sweet tooth.Packed with goodness, Wheyhey ice cream tubs not only provide a delicious dose of dairy that’s rich in calcium, but also a whopping 7.3g of protein. High in fibre, the sugar-free serve contains less than 100 calories in each scoop, meaning those who are following a calorie control diet can indulge guilt-free. Available in three tempting flavours, the range consists of moreish Salted Caramel, rich Chocolate and creamy Coconut.

IRISH Olympic medallist Rob Heffernan and his family partnered with Bord Bia to celebrate World Egg Day recently on October 8. Irish Olympians Rob and Marian Heffernan, and their sport star children Cathal and Meghan, are encouraging the public to ‘Crack On’ and take advantage of eggs as fuel for a busy lifestyle. The Heffernans paired off against each other on World Egg Day in a Cooking Challenge, judged by fellow Olympian Derval O’Rourke. Bord Bia’s ‘Crack On’ campaign highlights how versatile and nutritious Quality Mark eggs can be for a range of meal occasions. Packed with protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, and quick and easy to prepare, eggs are an ideal choice for lunch and dinner. For more information, visit BordBia.ie/Eggs.

It’s your Call…

You

At the IGBF we assist the families of over 300 of your colleagues every month. These families are more unfortunate than ourselves and without your support such assistance would not be possible...

But we still need your help to continue making the difference.

To Donate: ww.igbf.

For Assistance: ww.igbf.ie/help/our_help.html For Queries: info@igbf.ie

Registered Charity No: 6577 Registered Friendly Society No: 1775

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REAL FAST

A differentiating offer under the Munch & Co deli brand, with delicious signature menu items for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Seriously good coffee under our new exclusive gourmet coffee brand 9 Grams.

We listened to what our customers want and designed a completely new shopping experience.

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Distinctive new ice cream brand called Lickety Split.

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05/06/2019 15:15