Retail News Magazine March 2023

LAST month, we reported on the results of a shocking survey into harassment of retail staff by customers. This month, the latest crime survey from RGDATA makes for sobering reading (Page 30). Over 95% of shop owners have been victims of crime in the last 12 months, 93% have been victims of shoplifting, 40% have suffered due to fraud in their shops and 25% have been the victims of robberies or burglaries.

Garda resources are stretched thin, with the result that some of these crimes, those dubbed ‘petty’, like shoplifting or drive-offs at forecourts, are sometimes relegated in importance. Indeed, shop owners in areas where Garda numbers have been reduced are seeing a direct impact on Garda response times and a huge reduction in the deterrent factor for criminals. Retailers believe that the courts are not imposing adequate sanctions or sentences on the small percentage of offenders who are actually convicted of retail crimes. With retailers at their wit’s end, something needs to be done to protect our small business owners before they shut up shop for good.

Elsewhere in this issue, we report on the health of Ireland’s forecourt sector (Page 20), reveal the benefits of entering the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards (Page 26), explain how the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland will be using AI technology to identify breaches of the advertising code (Page 46), and intellectual property law specialist Mathew Forde explains why design registration is so important (Page 48).

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

2 Retail Minister vows to address rising insurance premiums.

3 Applegreen join Stonehouse wholesale/retail group.

4 New grocery inflation high of 16.4%; FDI welcomes UK deal with Europe on NI.

5 Aldi get green light for Kinsale store; New Small Firms Association Director revealed.

6 Lidl to create 700 new jobs in 2023; New MD at Heineken Ireland.

7 National Lottery launch Good Causes Awards 2023.

8 Tesco open new Dublin store.

10 TWIG reveal speaker panel for Annual Networking Lunch; ASAI appoints new member to complaints committee.

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

16 Retail Ireland unveileded its new three-year strategy ‘A sustainable future for Irish Retail’, which sets out three major priorities for the sector and identifies a range of specific actions under each theme where Retail Ireland will support the Irish retail sector over the coming years.

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

20 Ireland’s forecourt sector remains one of the most dynamic in Europe thanks to the innovation of the leading players in the market, according to Experian Catalist, the London-based experts on petrol and retail forecourts.

Crime and Retail

30 95% of Irish retailers have been victims of crime over the last 12 months, according to shocking statistics revealed in RGDATA’s new crime survey. "Local family-owned shops are suffering significantly from hugely elevated levels of theft and a deep frustration that crimes such as shoplifting and fuel theft are considered ‘petty’ and seen as acceptable and tolerated,” states Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

SuperValu Store of the Year Awards

34 Smith’s SuperValu in Navan, Co. Meath, has been named National SuperValu Store of the Year 2023.

Marketing & Advertising

46 The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland are set to use Artificial Intelligence to proactively identify social media posts by influencers and breaches of the advertising code, as new research reveals a lack of consumer trust in ‘influencers’.

Intellectual Property & Design Rights

48 A recognisable design not only enhances product identity but, importantly, it can be protected as intellectual property, writes Mathew Forde, Partner at Lewis Silkin Ireland specialising in Intellectual Property law.

Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards

52 The Irish Food Writers’ Guild celebrated 30 years of food awards with a spotlight on cheese, eel and ale at the 2023 awards.

Crime epidemic: something needs to be done

Retail Minister vows to address

THE Retail Minister has made a commitment to bring down the cost of high insurance premiums for shop owners. Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Employment Affairs and Retail Business, was speaking at a meeting with RGDATA President Colin Fee and Director General Tara Buckley, when he said it was “a priority of his ministerial office to reduce premiums and that he would work with the Junior Finance Minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, in dealing with insurance companies”, revealed Buckley.

Richmond’s pledge to reduce the cost of insurance, including employer and public liability, comes at a time of spiralling insurance prices, when regular convenience stores “can pay up to €50,000 a year”, and supermarkets “up to €200,000 a year”, according to RGDATA. Peter Boland, Alliance for Insurance Reform, told Retail News that insurance costs remain an “existential issue” for retailers: “We have many examples of members eating into their savings to pay both energy and insurance bills, or borrowing money to pay their insurance premium. In the year just gone, we saw increases averaging 14% on renewal for liability cover.”

Premium hikes come against the backdrop of a reformed insurance landscape in Ireland. In December 2020, the Government published its Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which set out 66 actions intended to bring down the cost of insurance and introduce more competition to the Irish market. "Insurance reform is one of my top priorities as Tánaiste,” said Leo Varadkar TD at the time. In March 2022, the second implementation report for the Act suggested “80% of actions in the Plan are now being delivered, with the remaining initiated”.

For example, new judicial guidelines dictating more “appropriate” levels of personal injury awards replaced the former Book of Quantum. “Since April 2021, damages have plummeted, as has the risk associated with every premium,” noted Boland. The Garda Insurance Fraud Coordination Office (IFCO) has been established, and Minister Dara Calleary TD, from the Department of Enterprise, has signed off on the reform of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB). The latter includes an order making it an

offence to supply false information to PIAB.

“And so everything that the insurers wanted by and large has been delivered, or is being delivered,” continued Boland. “Yet we are not seeing reductions in premiums.” If the size of pay-outs is falling, why is employer and public liability going up? Retailer representatives believe insurance companies are not passing on the benefits of the reforms. “Profits have not come down, so it's fair to conclude that the benefits of the guidelines are being pocketed by insurers,” said Boland.

RGDATA called on Government to cap insurance company profits. “They’re talking about capping the profits of energy companies, so we think it is possible,” said

Buckley. “Government did it before, when they intervened with banks.” The Alliance for Insurance Reform, meanwhile, feels that Government perhaps cannot cap the price of insurance but believe they might use “soft power” to persuade insurers to reduce their premiums.

The lack of competition within the Irish market is a further encumbrance. “When a retailer looks for cover, they will typically find that there's only one underwriter prepared to cover them. And in a situation like that, they're at that underwriter's mercy,” said Boland. The Government have set up an Insurance Competition Office, but “it hasn’t delivered,” he argued.

Duty of Care legislation, as part of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform, is expected to be enacted by summertime. A spokesperson for the Department of Finance told Retail News that “overhauling this legislation should help to address the issue of ‘slips, trips and falls’, which are particularly prevalent in public-facing areas, including retail, and could potentially unlock further liability insurance capacity for businesses.”

A spokesperson for Minister Neale Richmond TD at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said the Minister “will work with Government to bring [insurance] costs down, especially for retailers”, but the responsibility for insurance reform, they said, is “under the direct remit of Department of Finance”.

A representative for Minister Jennifer

Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Employment Affairs and Retail Business.

rising insurance premiums

Carroll MacNeill TD at the Finance Department cited recent data from the Central Bank, which stated that the public liability market, “which is particularly focused upon ‘footfall heavy’ sectors such as retail”, has been loss-making for a number of years and consequently insurers are reluctant to expand in this area.

“At the same time, this more specialised liability market segment is closely impacted by global insurance trends, and is therefore slower to reflect the changes being delivered through the government reform agenda than more commoditised products such as motor insurance,” noted the spokesperson.

MacNeill said: “I have met with the CEOs of the major insurance companies recently and impressed upon them the necessity to reflect reform achievements in the form

of reduced premiums, and to expand their risk appetite into underserved areas. There have been encouraging developments regarding insurance companies either seeking to establish in Ireland or to expand product lines already available to Irish consumers. This is a space that I will monitor very closely.”

Tara Buckley plans to raise the issue with Minister Richmond again in the next meeting of the Retail Forum on March 22. “We applaud the Government for delivering on so many of the issues identified by the cost of insurance working group,” she said. “But these are only effective if they bring down the cost of insurance. All the actions that have been undertaken are useless to shop owners if our insurance premiums continue to increase.”

Applegreen join Stonehouse wholesale/retail group

APPLEGREEN have agreed a new partnership with Stonehouse Marketing, Ireland’s independent independent wholesale/retail group. As part of the agreement, Applegreen will now join the Stonehouse members buying group.

With a network of wholesale depots across Ireland serving both the retail and food sector, Stonehouse are excited to see that network grow with the iconic Applegreen brand now becoming part of the group.

“Applegreen, since its inception, has been a brand based on quality and trust. I have been a huge admirer of the growth and strategic direction of Applegreen, and Stonehouse looks forward to Applegreen joining Stonehouse as we strengthen and grow the Irish independent retail sector,” said Tom Shipsey, Stonehouse Chief Executive.

Fiona Matthews, Managing Director of Applegreen Ireland, said the company was delighted to be joining the Stonehouse network: “As a proud Irish brand, we look forward to working with our new colleagues in Stonehouse, which has been serving the independent Irish retail sector for more than 40 years. Becoming a member of the Stonehouse network will help Applegreen continue to optimise our distribution network.”

Stonehouse Marketing Ltd is Ireland’s premier independent group for wholesale/retail, serving both the retail and food sectors. With a network of cash and carry depots across Ireland, Stonehouse owns the iconic Homestead brand, now in its 40th year, and also the White Hat brand, which has been developed by chefs for chefs.

Stonehouse was established in early 2000, but the network has a history that encompasses more than 60 years of proudly serving the Irish retail market. Stonehouse was created in the

year 2000, as the product of the merger of Keencost Centres (Ireland), which had been trading since 1975, and the National Wholesale Groceries Alliance, which was established in 1961.

Stonehouse is one of Ireland’s leading independent wholesale companies with a network of 14-member companies; all family-run businesses, totalling 18 warehouses nationwide. The group’s current members employ more than 600 staff and maintain a turnover of approximately €500 million per annum.

Pictured are (l-r): Janice Gibney, COO, Stonehouse Marketing Ltd; Fiona Matthews, Managing Director, Applegreen Ireland; Tom Shipsey, CEO, Stonehouse Marketing Ltd; and Deborah Howell, Head of Trading & Distribution, Applegreen Ireland.

Tara Buckley, Director General, RGDATA.

New grocery inflation high of 16.4%

TAKE-HOME grocery sales growth more than doubled in the four weeks to February 19, 2023, according to the latest data from Kantar Ireland. Value sales increased by 10.2%, compared to 5% in January, with record-breaking inflation of 16.4% the real driver behind this rather than more consumption.

While the average price per pack soared 13.4% in February, Irish consumers are coping with the increased cost of living by shopping little and often. Volume per trip was down 10.9%, while frequency was up 7%.

In the 12 weeks to February 19, 2023, take-home grocery sales increased by 8.5%, with shoppers returning to store more often and contributing an additional €168.7 million to the market’s overall performance. As a result, shoppers spent an additional €113.56 per buyer, compared with the same period last year.

“This growth in sales is largely down to grocery price inflation hitting 16.4%, a new record high,” revealed Emer Healy, Senior Retail Analyst, Kantar. “This time last year it was 2.4%, so a significant 14% increase within 12 months. In a year of rising costs and skyhigh inflation, Irish consumers are looking for ways to manage their household budgets. This has led to the Irish grocery market becoming more competitive than ever, with shoppers looking for the best deals among the retailers.”

Shoppers have also been navigating shortages in the fruit and vegetable aisles over recent weeks, while still looking for ways to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Pancake Day this year.

“Consumers spent €2.3 million more on vegetables year-on-year; however, volumes declined by 9.5%,” explains Emer Healy. “Volumes of cucumbers and tomatoes fell significantly by 17.2% and 8.9% respectively year-on-year, with these two products most impacted by shortages.”

With Valentine’s Day falling on a Tuesday and many feeling the strain of rising costs, consumers preferred to show their love at home this year. Shoppers spent an additional €1.2 million on wine, €1.5 million on chilled desserts and €3.8 million on chilled ready meals. Chocolate was also a winner, with shoppers spending an additional €326,000 on gifting chocolate. While Easter has already hit the shops, Irish consumers are yet to stock up on Easter Eggs with sales of seasonal chocolate down 29% year-on-year.

Shrove Tuesday also saw shoppers indulging in pancakes, with sales of flour, eggs, butter and chocolate spread up 11.9%, 29.6%,

19.5% and 55.5% respectively.

The market is seeing much stronger own label growth (11.9%) compared to brands (6.1%), as shoppers look for ways to save money. Own label value share has also risen from 42.6% in 2021 to 45% in 2023. Value own label lines, the very cheapest products, saw the strongest growth year-on-year, up 35.8%, with shoppers spending €19 million more on these ranges.

Online sales remained strong over the last 12 weeks, up 5.2% year-on-year, with shoppers spending an additional €8 million online. An influx of new shoppers boosted online sales by €7.1 million, with nearly 18% of Irish households purchasing online.

Dunnes hold the highest share amongst all retailers at 23.6%, with growth of 12.3% year-on-year. Tesco sit close behind in second place on 22.9%, with the latest data showing shopper footfall for Tesco at its highest level since January 2020. 79.9% of households visited a Tesco store at least once, with the highest increase seen in Connaught/Ulster, home to the recently acquired chain of former Joyces’ stores.

SuperValu have 20.8% of the market, with growth of 2.9%, the strongest level for the retailer since April 2021. SuperValu shoppers make the most trips in store compared to all retailers, with 20.8 trips on average, up 10.5% year-on-year.

Lidl have 12.6% share and growth of 10.9% year on year. An influx of new shoppers and more frequent trips contributed to an additional €21.2 million to their overall performance. Aldi have 11.7% and growth of 8.8% year-on-year. A strong boost in new shoppers and more frequent trips has contributed an additional €31.2 million to overall performance.

FDI welcomes UK deal with Europe on NI

A SUPPLIER representative group has welcomed the new deal on Northern Ireland between the UK and the European Union. Under the Windsor Framework, checks on goods at Northern Irish ports will be reduced, creating green lanes for British goods staying in Northern Ireland, and red lanes – which contain custom checks – for goods travelling to the Republic. The Irish land border will remain open. Paul Kelly, Director of Food Drink Ireland (FDI), told Retail News he welcomed

the deal “as it will bring much needed certainty for food and drink businesses across the allisland economy”. Kelly said he was not concerned that splitting supply chains into separate routes would impact suppliers or supermarkets south of the border.

“We’re waiting to examine the finer details of the agreement to determine the impact on supply chains, but we expect it to be broadly positive,” he said.

Paul Kelly, Director, FDI.

Aldi get green light for Kinsale store

ALDI Ireland were granted local authority planning permission from Cork County Council for a new store in Kinsale, Co. Cork, which will open in summer 2025 at a cost of €11 million. The new 1,315 square metre store will be located on New Road, with 102 car parking spaces available for customers in addition to 24 bike parking spaces.

Aldi will also be investing in the future of Kinsale through the provision of four electric vehicle charging points, two of which will be accessible parking spaces. The carpark design also allows for future expansion of the number of Aldi’s electric vehicle charging points.

The store, designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, complemented by 90 square metres of solar panels on its roof. The innovative design means the store roof will also feature large sections of living roof, further promoting local biodiversity.

“This is great news for Cork shoppers and the local economy,” said Colin Breslin, Aldi Regional Managing Director. “Our environmentally friendly store will see a considerable investment of €11 million into the local area, creating 30 new permanent jobs once the store opens and up to 50 jobs during its construction.”

Aldi’s new Kinsale store is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible, with 90 square metres of solar panels on its roof, which will also feature large sections of living roof, further promoting local biodiversity.

New Small Firms Association Director revealed

IBEC have announced David Broderick as the new Director of the Small Firms Association (SFA). Marking the appointment, Ibec Executive Director of Membership and Sectors, Sharon Higgins, said: “We are delighted to welcome David to the SFA. David brings huge experience and strong business acumen to the role, having developed and implemented successful business strategies throughout his career, including for various trade associations during his time in a previous role in Ibec. We wish him every success in this new role.”

Newly appointed SFA Director David Broderick stated: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to represent the small business community, which is truly the backbone

of the Irish economy and one of the most vibrant in the world. Despite a challenging economic landscape in recent years, SFA members have remained remarkably resilient and continue to demonstrate innovation and dynamism in overcoming adversity while delivering success.

“I look forward to continuing to engage with Government and other key stakeholders in ensuring that the voice of the small business community is heard, and ambitious policies are delivered that support small firm viability and growth.”

The new SFA Director argued for continued support for the small business community as it addresses a wide range of challenges in 2023: “Increases in employment costs and regulation from the roll-out of auto-enrolment, the living wage, and other leave proposals already announced are forecasted to add around 2.8% to the total wage bill in the economy in the coming years, at a time when many small firms are already facing increased costs from ongoing inflationary pressures.”

David Broderick returns to Ibec, having had a distinguished career with the company over 12 years in the roles of Senior Account Executive and previously Manager of the Global Graduate programme. After leaving Ibec four years ago, he worked in several senior commercial roles in Cafico International, Zendesk and most recently MarketStar (WhatsApp Business, Meta). He has also been a leading adviser to his family business, a global brand name in the food industry. David has always pursued his passion for small business and has acted as an organisational strategy consultant and business mentor to small firms, including through the EI and LEO mentor programmes, and during the Covid-19 crisis with the Government’s Business Continuity Voucher (BCV) programme.

David Broderick, Director, Small Firms Association.

Lidl to create 700 new jobs in 2023

LIDL are set to create more than 700 brand-new jobs within their Irish operations this year in a variety of operational and office-based roles across their network of 176 store locations, three regional distribution centres and Dublin head office. These new roles will bring Lidl’s total workforce in the Republic of Ireland to more than 6,000 employees for the first time, with the retailer employing 7,500 on the island of Ireland.

The new roles are being created to support Lidl’s growing footprint of stores nationwide and in line with Lidl’s ongoing €550 million, three-year expansion plan first announced in 2021. This year will see the opening of a range of new stores, including Kilkenny, Ballincollig, Bettystown, Limerick and the completion of a €75 million extension of the retailer’s Mullingar Distribution Centre.

Lidl also announced a €14 million investment in pay increases for their existing workforce in the Republic of Ireland, with a further £3 million being invested in the retailer’s operations in Northern Ireland, which it operates from its head office in Dublin. All employees will benefit from an increase from March 1, 2023. On average this will result in a 7.5% pay increase for employees, approximately €2,000€2,500 additional for every employee per annum.

This increase is in addition to the retailer’s commitment in October to paying the new Living Wage rate of €13.85 as recommended by the Living Wage Technical Group. Lidl was the first nationwide retailer in Ireland to adopt the Living Wage recommendation in 2015.

Welcoming the 700 new jobs at Lidl in Ireland, Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney TD, said, “Lidl’s decision to hire an additional 700 employees this year is a real vote of confidence in the company’s long-term commitment to the Irish retail sector and the Irish economy as a whole. Given the current cost-of-living pressures that everyone is feeling, I’m delighted to see that Lidl are investing in giving their workforce a pay rise to support them. I wish to congratulate the entire Lidl team on reaching the milestone of over 6,000 colleagues employed across the country; the company has a very impressive story of growth to tell since it first came to Ireland 20 years ago.”

Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland & Lidl Northern Ireland, said: “We are delighted to continue to invest in our expansion in the Irish market and grow our team with the addition

New MD at Heineken Ireland

HEINEKEN Ireland have announced the appointment of Sharon Walsh as the company’s new Managing Director. Sharon, the former Commercial Director of the company, has held a number of senior roles within Heineken Ireland and across at the brewer’s global operations over the past 11 years.

Sharon succeeds Maarten Schuurman, who is leaving Ireland to take up the role of Managing Director of Heineken’s East & West Africa region from April 1, 2023.

“Sharon has been a fantastic member of the Management Team for many years, and I wish her every success in her new

of 700 new roles this year across the country. It is a very proud moment for us to reach the milestone of more than 6,000 employees in the Republic of Ireland and demonstrates the commitment we have in our growing footprint in our Irish operations.

“After a rollercoaster few years for the Irish retail sector, we are thrilled to be able to continue to reward the hard work and dedication of our employees by investing €14 million in pay rises. To recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our team members, we have significantly increased our investment in pay rises by 30% this year to support our employees as best we can, ensuring that we are offering the most competitive and allencompassing suite of benefits in the jobs market at present.”

For the third year running, Lidl has been recognised by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer for 2023. One of only 14 Irish companies and the only retailer to receive the accreditation, the Top Employer accreditation is a globally recognised and highly soughtafter certification, held by international brands such as Heineken, Puma & PepsiCo. It showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work, exhibited through excellent HR policies and people practices.

role as Managing Director,” noted Maarten Schuurman. “Sharon’s broad business knowledge, leadership, creative drive, and competitive spirit will be of great value to drive the next chapter of sustainable and responsible growth at Heineken Ireland.”

The new MD said she is honoured to have been appointed Managing Director and is excited to take up her new role: “We have a great team at Heineken Ireland, and I’m looking forward to leading the business and working with them, and our customers and stakeholders, to continue to take the business forward.”

Pictured at Lidl Ireland’s Carrigaline store are Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney TD and Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland & Lidl Northern Ireland.

Sharon Walsh, Managing Director, Heineken Ireland.

National Lottery launch Good Causes Awards 2023

THE National Lottery have officially launched this year’s National Lottery Good Causes Awards, which honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals all over Ireland, who with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities. The awards ceremony will take place on October 21 in Kilashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare.

Minister Paschal Donohoe TD, National Lottery CEO Andrew Algeo and Derek Duffy founder of Cú Chulainn Blood Bikes, last year’s overall winning group, attended the launch event which took place at the Royal Hibernian Academy.

Minister Donohoe commended the work being carried out in communities all over the country and spoke of the impact National Lottery Good Causes funding has had in his own constituency.

“The National Lottery Good Causes Awards provide the perfect opportunity to both recognise and highlight the amazing work being carried out by groups all over the country,” said Minister Donohoe. “In my own constituency, I see the impact on the ground with the redevelopment of the Grangegorman complex, who received a Sports Capital grant back in 2021, and St Francis Hospice, who received a much-needed grant for their modern medication and treatment room. These are just one or two examples of thousands of Good Causes who so heavily rely on this funding and really highlights why the National Lottery was set up over 36 years ago. One of the very last reports my predecessor, Minister Michael McGrath TD, published before he moved into his new ministerial role as Minister of Finance, was the Indecon report on how National Lottery funding is distributed and utilised, which made some key recommendations around greater transparency and acknowledgement of National Lottery support, greater engagement with the non-profit sector, the creation of an Open Call Fund and improved governance; recommendations which I am fully supportive of and keen to progress with my department in 2023.”

National Lottery CEO Andrew Algeo was delighted to welcome the Good Causes Awards into their fifth year and looks forward to bringing attention to the admirable Good Causes beneficiaries later this year.

“As we enter the fifth year of the National Lottery Good Causes Awards, we are reminded of the truly inspiring work carried out by Good Causes beneficiaries across the country every day,” he said. “Often the efforts of our local clubs or voluntary groups may go unnoticed and it’s important for us to bring attention to that. Since 1987, over €6 billion has been raised for Good Causes and over €4 million on average is being raised every week, which has a truly

profound impact in communities and on the lives of generations of Irish people. All of us here at the National Lottery are delighted to be able to create an opportunity to shine a light on the incredible achievements of our beneficiaries.

“Towards the end of last year, we saw the publication of the Indecon report which recommended greater transparency and acknowledgement of National Lottery funding, which is something we wholeheartedly welcome and support, and we look forward to working alongside Minister Donohoe's Department to progress these recommendations in 2023.”

Individuals, community projects and organisations who received Good Causes funding between the years 2018 and 2022 are eligible to apply. Applications for the Awards are now open and beneficiaries can enter and check eligibility at www.lottery.ie/goodcausesawards.

The Awards will have seven categories which are:

• Sport Health and Wellbeing

• Arts & Culture

• Heritage

• Community

• Youth

• Irish Language

A special category, ‘Hero of the Year’, will also be announced at the Awards final, in recognition of outstanding work done by an individual within an organisation and will receive a prize of €5,000. Each category winner will receive €10,000 while the overall Good Cause of the Year will receive an additional €25,000.

Meanwhile, the National Lottery has revealed that there have been 102 brand new Lottery millionaires since 2020, with over 1,100 players sharing over €470 million alone in high tier prizes across all draw-based games. Since 2020, Dublin has unsurprisingly topped the charts for National Lottery wins with over €68 million paid out to 275 players, 22 of which won prizes in excess of €1 million. In the last three years, 10 separate millionaires were made in Co. Cork, while Galway and Mayo have had six new millionaires each. Mayo’s biggest winners includes the record-breaking Lotto jackpot win of €19.06 million, which was claimed by a Mayo family syndicate in January 2021. Already in 2023, a total of four brand new millionaires have been made in the Lotto game, along with the biggest win of the year in Foynes, Co. Limerick, which saw a Lotto jackpot prize worth €11.1 million claimed by a syndicate.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD at the launch of the National Lottery Good Causes Awards.

Tesco open new Dublin store

TESCO Ireland recently opened the doors to a new Tesco Express store at Charlemont Square in Dublin. This historic part of Dublin 2 has been transformed into a modern neighbourhood which will feature a retail space, public square, homes, and offices. At more than 4,600 square feet and conveniently located close to the Charlemont Luas stop, the new store promises customers a modern retail experience and a wide selection of quality fresh and Irish produce.

“We’re very excited to open the doors of our latest Dublin City Centre store, here in Charlemont Square. We’re looking forward to getting to know our new neighbours in this community,” said Geoff Byrne, Chief Operating Officer, Tesco Ireland.

In a new green initiative for Tesco, the retailer has used fully recyclable wall protection in the fit-out of the new store. The material was made from 350kg of 100% recycled soft plastic, which came from Tesco in-store collection points for soft plastics from product packaging. The use of this recycled material offers an innovative recycling solution which demonstrates end-to-end recycling for the company.

The material was manufactured for Tesco by Irish manufacturing company Paltech, whose technology offers the ability for soft plastics to be cleaned, sorted, and moulded into construction materials. Tesco Ireland partnered with the company in 2021 to help them use recycled materials for use in store maintenance and in refits, including buildings, carpark barriers, and signage.

Store manager Jonathan McCusker, who has been with Tesco for eight years, said: “This is a really exciting day for me and the team. We’ve been working really hard behind the scenes for the past few weeks to ensure that the store will offer the best possible experience for our customers.”

Meanwhile, Tesco Ireland have introduced five days paid leave for victims of domestic abuse, making them the first major Irish grocery retailer to introduce this important support for their 13,000 colleagues.

Tesco have updated their current ‘Time Off Policy’ to reflect the new provision for victims of domestic abuse. According to this policy, there will be no minimum service requirements for colleagues who need to avail of this leave, and it can be taken retrospectively or in advance, and in full days or half days, depending on their specific needs.

The new provision is already contained in the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 which was first introduced by Government last year, and which is now in the process of being finalised as it passes through the Oireachtas. While the Bill is expected to be enacted into law later this year, Tesco Ireland have taken the pre-emptive step to roll out the domestic abuse leave provision without delay.

A key feature of this paid leave is that it will be recorded with a specific absence code to safeguard the privacy of the colleague and if taken, it will not be included in the

colleague’s overall absence percentage as it is treated separately to sick leave.

Arguably one of the most important features of Tesco’s new leave policy is that it recognises the difficulty and trauma associated with making a disclosure about domestic abuse and therefore colleagues are not required to submit proof of domestic abuse to avail of this leave.

Highlighting the necessity of providing paid leave for colleagues experiencing domestic abuse, Tesco Ireland CEO Natasha Adams, said: “Paid leave is an essential factor in escaping domestic abuse, as victims sometimes need to prepare to leave the abusive relationship through attending support services, legal services, and counselling, looking for a new place to live and making necessary childcare arrangements. These preparations cannot always be carried out during working hours. During this extremely difficult process, it is vital that victims feel certain that their employment and financial independence are protected.

“While launched ahead of International Women’s Day, we are fully aware that this isn’t a female-centric issue; it affects all forms of relationships,” she continued. “We are committed to supporting our colleagues, reflecting their individual circumstances and challenges. As one of the largest private sector employers in the country, we are proud to play our part in contributing to the whole of society response.”

Since 2020, Tesco have partnered with Safe Ireland to highlight the national helpline on their till receipts. Safe Ireland CEO, Mary McDermott, said, “We congratulate Tesco on their proactive lead on introducing paid domestic abuse leave for their employees. We know that this confidential, and importantly paid leave models appropriate support for all victims of abuse nationwide.”

Tesco are also improving their current bereavement leave policy to include early pregnancy loss leave; this will be available to colleagues, their partner and those involved in surrogacy. Tesco continuously engage with colleagues across the business and broaden and adapt workplace policies to ensure inclusivity and promote a healthier working environment.

Pictured at the launch of Tesco’s new Express Store in Charlemont Square Dublin; are from left Tesco colleagues, Antonio Ornelas; Store Manager, Jonathan McCusker; Jessica O’Connor; Ken Collins, Head of Convenience Tesco Ireland; and Gabrielle Dempsey.

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TWIG reveal speaker panel for Annual Networking Lunch

TODAY’S Women in Grocery (TWIG), a sub-committee of the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund (IGBF), have revealed an inspiring speaker line-up for their seventh annual networking luncheon. Industry leading speakers will address a gathering of prominent figures in Ireland’s grocery, food and retail sectors at TWIG’s luncheon 2023 event, which will be held in the Royal Convention Centre, Chancery Lane, Dublin 8, on Friday May 5, 2023.

The ‘Power of Positivity’ theme for 2023 sets the scene for what will be an afternoon of inspiring contributions from an inspiring panel of business leaders from the FMCG sector and beyond. The event will be chaired by Sonya Lennon, and includes the following panel of speakers:

• Natasha Adams, CEO, Tesco Ireland Sarah Ferguson, General Manager, Kelloggs Ireland

• Sharon Walsh, Managing Director, Heineken Ireland

• Betty Quigley, Chief Commercial Officer, L’Oreal Consumer Products Division

• Sharon Keegan, Entrepreneur and Founder, Peachylean

• Niamh Briggs, Former Irish Rugby player and member of An Garda Síochàna

• Fiona Parfrey, Entrepreneur and Founder, Riley

• Rachel Hennessy, Entrepreneur and Founder, Happy Days Fashion Retail

“We are delighted to be hosting our 7th TWIG event in the fantastic new Royal Convention Centre in the heart of Dublin beside the Radisson Golden Lane,” noted TWIG Chairperson Michelle Darlington. “This modern venue allows for more people to come together and network and have the opportunity to hear from our amazing panel of speakers about the ‘Power of Positive’ and how they can take those learnings to have a positive impact in both their personal and professional lives. The panel of inspiring female leaders will share their own personal perspective, hints and tips on how they have adapted a positive mindset, which in turn delivers a positive impact on their teams, their business and communities.

“We are delighted to have such inspiring women dedicate their

time and energy to join us in person on the day, which demonstrates the power of women supporting one another across our industry. This year we are excited to launch our first TWIG Person of the Year 2023, Power of Positive Award, proudly sponsored by CPM. This prestigious award aims to recognise someone in the retail industry that lives and breathes our TWIG ethos and has used their ‘Positive Power’ to great impact in their organisation, local community or beyond.”

Frances Higgins, Chair of the IGBF and TWIG committee member, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the event in a new, exciting, and bigger venue for TWIG 23, where even more of our colleagues and peers can enjoy what we know will be another amazing and inspirational event. This year is the IGBF’s 60th Birthday and on this milestone year, we are very much looking forward to another successful fundraising year for the charity, with TWIG being a firm anchor and major contributor to our fundraising endeavours. Events like TWIG enable us to continue to raise awareness of the charity and its ability to support our fellow colleagues who fall on hard times for whatever reason. As always, I would like to extend our gratitude to each of our sponsors –Musgrave, Diageo, CPM and Suntory Beverage and Food Ireland, and indeed all of the companies and suppliers who contribute to the day, for their continued invaluable support – it is always appreciated and never taken for granted.”

Due to phenomenal support, this event is now sold out. To get added to the waiting list, please contact Michelle Thornton at Hotel Solutions on (01) 6309211 or email michelle@hotel-solutions.ie

ASAI appoints new member to complaints committee

THE Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), the independent self-regulatory body committed to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications in Ireland, has appointed Paul Hanna to its Complaints Committee.

Paul currently holds the role of Deputy Director for Consumer Enforcement with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). With over 30 years of investigative experience across the London Metropolitan Police Service, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the CCPC, Paul brings a wealth of invaluable knowledge and expertise to the ASAI.

“The ASAI has such an important role working with advertisers across a range of platforms promoting the highest standards of marketing communications,” he said. “I look forward to collaborating with the ASAI to increase awareness of Irish advertising standards and to continue improving them across all marketing platforms.”

Paul Hanna, ASAI Complaints Committee.

Michelle Darlington, TWIG Chairperson and Marketing Manager at Suntory Beverage & Food Ireland.

Line up with MACE brand ambassador Johnny Sexton and the rest of our winning team.

AtMACE, we’re looking for retailers who bring a smile to work every day to join our amazing team.

Our new stores are designed to be both bright and welcoming, to place you at the heart of the community in which you serve. Speaking of service, our quality fresh foods and innovations meet the ever-changing needs of people and have been proven to drive profitable sales increases for MACE Retailers.

You will have the support of our experienced team around Ireland, along with award winning marketing to grow your business.

Gala launch €80,000 Gala Gifts For All campaign

WITH a massive €80,000 prize pot up for grabs, Gala Retail have launched their ‘Gala Gifts For All’ campaign. Running from February 20 for five weeks, every Gala store throughout Ireland is gifting five shoppers €100, with the lucky winners selected at random over the duration of the promotion. “It’s been a tough few years for everyone, and with the rising prices of utilities and everyday essentials, this year we want to give back to local shoppers and reward as many of our customers as possible with €100 vouchers,” noted Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail. “Our shoppers have been loyal to our retailers, many of whom operate stores that are central to their communities. Our retailers have been there for our customers when they needed us most, and with a prize pot in excess of €80,000, Gala Retail stores will be awarding Gala Gifts of €100 to over 825 shoppers over the coming weeks.” Gary Desmond is pictured with TV and radio presenter Lucy Kennedy launching the 2023 initiative.

Musgrave donate €100,000 to Irish Red Cross and UNICEF

Drink Tea for MND this March

LILY Chen is this year’s Drink Tea for MND Ambassador. Lily lives in Termonfeckin, Co. Louth, with her family, where she runs her tea business, Lily’s Tea. She was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) three years ago. Lily is sharing her story about life with MND in the hope that greater awareness will generate increased support for those living with this degenerative and debilitating condition. It’s such an unforgivable disease. But your support for Drink Tea for MND will help people like Lily get the simple life-changing supports they need. It will provide specialised beds, wheelchairs, and for people like Lily who love the ‘Irish banter’, communication aids when

MND takes their voice away. There are more than 400 people living with MND in Ireland, and every three days we lose another person to this debilitating disease. Visit www.imnda.ie for more information.

MUSGRAVE Group have launched of a major fundraising campaign across the island of Ireland to support people impacted by the recent earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Musgrave immediately donated €100,000 to on the ground emergency relief in the area, while the Group are also rolling out a major fundraising campaign for two weeks, enabling customers of their retail and wholesale brands across the island of Ireland to donate through a simple ‘tap to donate’ mechanism at the till.

“We in Musgrave, along with our customers, colleagues and retail partners have all been deeply saddened by the scale of the humanitarian crisis following the earthquake in Syria and Turkey,” noted Noel Keeley, CEO, Musgrave Group. “Musgrave are immediately contributing €100,000 to the Irish Red Cross and Unicef to help bring much needed supplies including food, blankets, and medicine to those impacted by this devastating event.”

SuperValu & GIY launch ‘Let’s Grow’ initiative

THE students at Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Inchicore, Dublin 8, have officially launched the ‘SuperValu Let’s Grow’ initiative in partnership with GIY. This is a brand new partnership that aims to put homegrown food centre-stage in classrooms across Ireland by enabling 50,000 children to learn how to grow food at school. Through ‘SuperValu Let’s Grow’, classrooms will be provided with the tools for food growing and food literacy education. The ‘SuperValu Let’s Grow’ pack provides schools with everything they need to start growing their own vegetables, including packs of seeds, compost discs and pots for growing, as well as teacher resource packs with curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities. Helping to launch the initiative are students Una Coyle (10) and Shang Hong Chi (11) at Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Inchicore, Dublin 8, alongside Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, with SuperValu Managing Director Ian Allen (left) and GIY Founder and CEO Michael Kelly.

Hats off to the innocent Big Knit 2023

THE innocent Big Knit was back this February, adding a pop of colour to communities nationwide in support of Age Action. For the last year, lots of dedicated knitters have sent in their colourful woolly masterpieces to sit on top of innocent smoothies, adding a splash of colour to shops nationwide. The juiciest part? 30-cent from every behatted smoothie is going straight to Age Action. This year, innocent have knitted-in the Irish actor behind Father Ted’s legendary Eoin McLove, Patrick McDonnell, and food writer Lilly Higgins as brand ambassadors for The innocent Big Knit 2023. Patrick is pictured with Winnie O'Doherty, a volunteer knitter who helps knit the mini hats for the Big Knit bottles.

William’s Gate from BWG Foods debuts at Catex

BWG Foods have introduced William’s Gate, their new dedicated meat and master butchery arm, which was showcased at BWG Foodservice’s exhibition at Catex at the RDS recently. BWG Foodservice, named National Foodservice Supplier of The Year on the opening day of Catex 2023, now offers an enhanced solution for Ireland’s hospitality market, providing everything the caterer needs; chilled, frozen, ambient, alcohol and non-food products from state-of-the-art multitemperature storage and transportation facilities, ensuring that all goods arrive to customers in premium condition, on time and in full. “We are passionate about providing the best quality meat to our customers, who include some of the leading restaurants, hotels, public and private institutions in Ireland, as well as to a host of retail consumers and butchers and William’s Gate is a great addition to our Foodservice division,” noted Simon Marriott (left), Chief Operations Officer, BWG Foods, pictured with Karla Murray, Head of Foodservice Trading, and Ricky O’Brien, Foodservice Director, BWG Foods.

O’Donnells Crisps now available in M&S Ireland

Musgrave MarketPlace raise €65,000 for Women’s Aid

O’DONNELLS hand cooked crisps are now available in Marks & Spencer stores in Ireland in three delicious flavours; Mature Cheese & Red Onion Flavour, Ballymaloe Relish & Cheddar Cheese Flavour and Irish Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt Flavour. Siblings behind the brand, Ed and Kate O’Donnell (pictured), said of the news: “We’re so proud of this development, it’s exciting to see the O’Donnells brand grow further and have the opportunity to reach an even broader Irish customer base. We are delighted that Marks & Spencer Ireland have chosen to stock our brand and recognise the consumer appetite. As a proud Irish business, we believe this partnership will complement Marks & Spencer, a strong and trusted brand for high quality food."

MUSGRAVE MarketPlace raised €65,000 for Women’s Aid throughout 2022. Funds raised by Musgrave MarketPlace will go towards helping women and children subjected to domestic violence, including coercive control. To raise the money for Women’s Aid vital support services, hundreds of events were held by Musgrave MarketPlace colleagues across the country. The team was tasked with creating fundraising ideas which included bake and cake sales, charity head shaves, fitness challenges, cycling events and raffles. The 2022 donation of €65,000 brings Musgrave MarketPlace’s total charity partner donations to over €360,000 since 2017. “I would like to thank the Musgrave MarketPlace team who put a huge amount of time and effort into raising these muchneeded funds for Women’s Aid,” noted Marta Hliwa, Head of Human Resources at Musgrave

‘Double-Down’ fitness call to primary pupils

PRIMARY pupils whose schools are competing in the ‘Ireland’s Fittest School’ search are being encouraged by event patrons, Olympians David Gillick and Phil Healy to ‘double-down’ on their exercise and fitness routines as the event heads towards its March 31 finishing line. The winner will be announced in April. In its second year, the six-month programme, in which 150 schools from 24 counties are competing, is supported by Fyffes and administered online. Its purpose is to promote the importance of exercise, fitness and healthy eating amongst young people. Details can be seen online at www.fyffesfitsquad.ie

Donegal Catch celebrates National Fish Week

DONEGAL Catch, Ireland’s number one frozen fish brand for almost 40 years, encouraged Irish households to choose Irish white fish this National Fish Week (February 20-26) and throughout the year! Buying responsibly caught Irish haddock, whiting and hake from Donegal Catch supports Irish fishermen, fisherwomen and local fishing communities. Donegal Catch also revealed a new TV advert featuring fisher Frank McClenaghan from Greencastle in Co. Donegal explaining why fishing is important for local communities and the role sustainability plays in the Irish fishing industry. “Donegal Catch is the largest purchaser of white fish from the Irish catching sector and processes over 20% of Irish landed haddock and whiting,” explained Aisling Twomey, Donegal Catch Marketing Manager. Last year, Donegal Catch extended its Irish white fish range with award winning products such as Salt & Vinegar Haddock Bites and Chunky Hake.

MarketPlace, pictured (right), with Avril CarrollLong (left), HR Manager, Musgrave MarketPlace Ballymun & Sallynoggin, and Emma Greally, Digital, Community and Events Project Leader at Women’s Aid.

Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps return for 2023

AHEAD of the launch of this year’s Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps, Mountbellew/ Moylough has shared its plans for its €25,000 prize. The Galway GAA club won first prize in the 2022 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps on-pack promotion, winning a game-changing €25,000 for the club. Mountbellew/Moylough GAA Club plans to use the €25,000 to purchase equipment for the club, such as mini goals, footballs, sliotars and cones that can be shared across all teams and even used for this summer’s Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camp. The balance will go towards constructing an Astro Turf pitch and ball wall. To be in with a chance to win up to €25,000 this year for your local GAA club, GAA and Kellogg’s fans alike can purchase a participating Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies or Coco Pops pack, and log onto www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie. The Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps competition for 2023 opens from April 1.

NDC sponsor Good Food Ireland Award

THE National Dairy Council (NDC) are delighted to announce sponsorship of the Outstanding Contribution to Food Production award at this year’s Good Food Ireland Awards which take place on April 17. “This honorary award from Good Food Ireland is to recognise and celebrate the thousands of farmers all over Ireland that provide the primary ingredients for menus and what we eat and drink every day,” said Margaret Jeffares, Founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland, describing farmers as “the unsung heroes of our food industry”. Commenting on the new award, Zoë Kavanagh, CEO of the National Dairy Council (pictured), said, “These Awards are unique in the way that they champion Ireland’s primary food producers. Good Food Ireland wants to shine a light on biodiversity at farm level as well as the way producers grow, cultivate, and harvest premium food produce to leading chefs, establishments, and retailers. Now, more than ever, it is important to show all the hard work and innovation that is happening within the Irish farming industry.”

Aldi launch 2023 Community Grants Programme

ALDI Ireland have launched their 2023 Community Grants programme, with over €80,000 worth of bursary grants set to be distributed to Irish charities and community groups throughout the year. Aldi are calling on charities and community organisations to visit their local Aldi store during the months of March and April and nominate their organisation for a €500 bursary grant. Staff from each of Aldi’s 155 stores, their two distribution centres and corporate offices will then vote for a charity or community organisation in their local area to receive the bursary, enabling Aldi staff to help the worthy and impactful causes they care most about in their local communities. Pictured are one of the many previous beneficiaries of the Aldi Community Grants Programme, Blue Dolphins Special Olympics Club.

Danone Ireland announce ambitious new health commitments

DANONE have announced new health commitments for their dairy, plant-based and water categories in Ireland. The company has committed that at least 90% of its product portfolio by sales volume will not be high in sugar, salt or fat in Ireland, that they will never produce a product high in sugar, salt, or fat for children, and that at least 90% of their portfolio will be rated as “healthy” – receiving a score of at least 3.5 stars out of 5 within the Health Star Rating Index. As part of the commitments, Danone Ireland have also confirmed their intention to implement clear, consistent front-of-pack nutritional labelling. “I’m proud to announce these commitments which align with our mission at Danone to bring health through food to as many people as possible,” noted Killian Barry, Managing Director of Danone Ireland. “With these commitments, we are setting out our ambition as a purposeful business, to help improve the health of the nation. At a time when both obesity and malnutrition are major concerns in Ireland, we believe this is the right thing to do.”

Lidl open Ballincollig store

ANNA Geary, radio and TV broadcaster and performance and lifestyle coach, joined the team at Lidl Ballincollig ‘West City Retail Park’ to officially open the new store recently. The retailer has created 10 new jobs at the store, bringing the Ballincollig team to 27 employees. “We are delighted to open the doors and welcome customers to experience the brand-new store including larger aisles, higher ceilings and a bakery area with freshly baked breads and pastries, one of Lidl’s most popular features,” noted store manager Marie O’Connell (pictured, left) with Anna Geary and Peter McDonagh, Lidl Sales Operations Manager, at the official opening.

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update Retail Ireland launches new strategy

Retail Ireland remains relevant, informed and targeted, and in doing so provides meaningful and tangible benefits for members.

New retail landscape refocuses priorities

As part of Retail Ireland’s strategy review, insights were gathered from members representing a wide range of businesses by carrying out one-to-one interviews, an online survey and an interactive workshop.

A number of key themes emerged during this process, which fed into the development of the strategy. These include:

The move to online and growth of e-commerce requires support and increased investment so that the Irish retail sector can evolve and remain competitive;

THIS month, Retail Ireland launched its new three-year strategy ‘A sustainable future for Irish Retail’. The strategy sets out three major priorities for the sector and identifies a range of specific actions under each theme where Retail Ireland will support the Irish retail sector over the coming years.

The three overriding priorities set out in the strategy are: Sustainable Growth, Sustainable Careers and Sustainable Communities. They cover the business environment, the key role of people in the future of the sector and the role that retail must play in supporting environmental change and wider society. Underpinning all three priorities is sustainability, which is recognised in the strategy as a core aspect of doing business into the future.

Sustainable Growth: Economic growth for the retail industry positively impacts society as a whole and delivers quality, value and choice to the consumer. In this challenging operating environment, identifying opportunities to improve competitiveness and innovation, while also supporting long-term growth, is crucial. As part of this focus, Retail Ireland and its members will aim to advance initiatives and policies to promote retail investment and digitalisation, drive sustainable growth and deliver an innovative, resilient and competitive retail environment.

Sustainable Careers:

A key priority highlighted by Retail Ireland members is people, skills and careers in the sector, particularly given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the recruitment and retention of staff. The second priority of the strategy focuses on the promotion of careers in the retail sector and supporting lifelong careers through the Retail Ireland Skillnet Apprenticeship Programme.

Sustainable Communities:

Environmental sustainability will be a key focus of the sector over the coming years and Retail Ireland will support its members as the industry continues to transform how it operates. From improving energy efficiency, increasing the use of recycled materials, reducing the use of plastic to championing the wider circular economy, tackling environmental issues is now a both a social and commercial priority. On a wider social level, retail is central to communities across the county, creating jobs, supporting local sports clubs and being involved in charities nationwide. By recognising sustainable communities as its third key priority, Retail Ireland will support practical policies focusing on investing in making towns and city centres nationwide more attractive.

As the sector undergoes rapid change, the strategy will ensure that the work of

Tel: 01-6051558 | www.retailireland.ie

Need more?

• To remain sustainable, retailers need to invest in giving customers an attractive experience in their stores;

• Reviving towns and city centres nationwide is critical. Accessible and welcoming social and cultural urban areas need to be carefully planned to draw a mix of local communities and tourists;

• Impactful actions are needed to rejuvenate the high street by improving public transport to make it easier for customers to travel to shopping destinations;

• A concerted effort is required to address labour shortages which are putting significant pressure on businesses;

• Sustainability is no longer a trend - it’s much more fundamental now. Sustainability and the role retail plays in society will be in the spotlight and become far more important into the future: how we treat people, how we impact communities and how people generally think of retail in this context.

On the back of a modest but sustained economic recovery, the findings from the review show a resilient and dynamic sector, with an ambition to invest, despite a challenging economic backdrop.

For more information about Retail Ireland and details of how your retail business can benefit from our unique services and supports, please visit us at www.retailireland.ie

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Nestlé Golden Collection

Nestlé appoint SAS hardman as Golden Handler

Jason Fox the star of SAS: Who Dares Wins has a new role as the ‘Golden Handler, overseeing the safe delivery of the first consignment of Nestlé Ireland’s new Golden Collection range.

HE has ventured into some of the most hostile environments on earth to rescue helpless hostages, carried out untold covert surveillance missions, and protected some of the most powerful people in the world.

Now Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox, star of the Channel 4 smash hit series SAS: Who Dares Wins has pivoted into ‘very important chocolate protection’ in a one-off tongue-incheek contract role.

Dubbed the Golden Handler, Foxy was appointed by Nestlé Ireland to oversee the safe delivery of the first consignment of their new Golden Collection range.

A golden makeover

Leading the glittering line up is Aero, with two new products, Aero Golden Honeycomb Melts sharing bag and Aero Golden Honeycomb Block. Both bag and block feature golden bubbles with a delicious honeycomb flavour for a bubbly yet indulgent treat to share.

Nestlé’s new Golden Collection range, comprising Aero, Milkybar and Munchies, is available in stores now.

Along with Aero, The Golden Collection includes the much-loved Munchies. The Munchies Gold Sharing Bag sees the brand’s traditional centre of soft caramel and crispy biscuit shelled with ever-popular Caramac, creating a flavour combination that is bound to be a crowd-pleaser!

Milkybar has also received a golden makeover. The classic creamy milk chocolate has been given a caramel flavour twist to create new Milkybar Gold sharing bag and Milkybar Gold block.

Golden Collection now available nationwide

“From my time in the special forces and experience with being in high pressure situations, I thought I was the perfect person to ensure this job was done without a hitch!” noted Jason Fox.

Maria McKenna, Confectionery Marketing Manager at Nestlé Ireland, added, “We are delighted to partner with Foxy as the official Golden Handler. The products are available now in stores across the country and I’d urge the Irish public to purchase them and try for themselves!”

SAS: Who Dares Wins hardman, Jason Fox, was assigned to deliver the first consignment of The Golden Collection.

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

Big guns continue to drive forecourt sector

Ireland’s forecourt sector remains

thanks to

THE number of forecourts in operation in the Republic of Ireland has dropped slightly over the course of 2022, with 33 less forecourts open at the end of December 2022 (1,872) compared with the same time in 2021, a drop of 1.76%, according to the latest figures from Experian Catalist, the London-based experts who provide a leading global source of information and analysis on petrol and retail forecourts.

The biggest operators in the market (Circle K, Maxol, Applegreen, Top Oil, and Texaco) continue to open high profile sites, particularly around motorways and other busy commuter roads, most of these involving multi-million euro investments. Indeed, Maxol added four forecourts to their numbers in 2022, up from 144 to 148. In the December 2022 issue of Retail News , Maxol Group CEO Brian Donaldson revealed that the company invested €12.5 million worth of capital expenditure during 2022. Maxol have ringfenced €100 million for investment over the next five years, and the company hopes to acquire a number of new sites in 2023, which could result in the business growing to 250 service stations across Ireland.

Most of the drop in store numbers can be attributed to the closure of smaller forecourts, according to James Haigh, Business Consultant, Experian Catalist: “I think we are seeing some of the smaller sites disappear, with economics certainly playing a part in this, in terms of both structural issues (old pumps/tanks needing replacing etc.) and running costs.”

Motor fuel & shop sales volumes

The first Catalist forecourt database for Ireland was created about 25 years ago and its original principles are still applicable today. The basis of the data is from visiting all the sites across Ireland on a regular basis. A team of Experian Catalist surveyors visit circa 1,000 forecourts a year and they are tasked with establishing the annualised running rate for both motor fuel volume (petrol & under canopy diesel) and forecourt shop sales for every forecourt. They collect annualised running rates rather than actual historical volumes, as this allows direct comparisons over time, allows for new sites coming on stream, and is not complicated by periods out of the market due to redevelopment or temporary closures etc.

Under normal circumstances (i.e. pre-Covid) the volume/sales figures would be directly comparable with the previous year. However, due to the pandemic, Experian Catalist’s surveyors were

one of the most dynamic in Europe

the innovation of the leading players in the market.

Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol Group.

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

All data in the tables is based on ‘open’ sites (including sites under development and excluding Non-Retail sites). Brands are listed in order of market share for motor fuel volume sales.

unable to physically visit sites for most of 2020 and 2021, and whilst they have been updating their data via telephone surveying, they have been careful not to skew the motor fuel & shop volumes with the temporary reduced fuel volumes seen over the pandemic period. “We are hopeful that the volume estimates in the database will effectively reflect the markets ‘back to normal’ trading conditions,” explains

James Haigh. “Our surveyors are now out visiting sites and the Experian Catalist published figures for the annualised fuel and shop volumes should come back into line over the next year or so.”

Forecourt as convenience store

The vast majority of forecourts now have a shop attached, particularly for the biggest operators, with 98% of Applegreen

forecourts having a shop. Of course, it’s not just about the shop itself but the size and quality of the shop offering, and this is an area where Ireland continues to lead the way, regularly winning international awards for the quality of its forecourt stores.

“Ireland leads the way in terms of foodto-go offers,” admits James Haigh. “The UK is following your lead! In the UK over the last few years, we have seen the development

James Haigh, Business Consultant with Experian Catalist.

The recently opened Circle K forecourt in Grange, Co. Sligo.

Graph 1: Market share by brand

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

of destination forecourts where fuel is only one of the ‘services’ on offer, Euro Garages in particular: there is a modern forecourt with a large c-store/small supermarket, standalone restaurant and/or coffee offer with significant parking.”

As one Irish forecourt CEO put it concisely, Ireland’s forecourts are evolving from fuel retailers that also sell grocery products, to convenience retailers that also sell fuel products – as evidenced by Circle K’s purchase of the high profile former Griffin Group stores in Dublin City Centre, which have been rebranded as Circle K – essentially forecourt-style convenience stores without the fuel offering.

Increasingly, what is separating one forecourt from another is the quality of the non-fuel offering, with various food concessions now becoming familiar sights on forecourts, from Burger King to Freshly Chopped. Gone are the days when the forecourt offered a handful of chocolate confectionery items and you were lucky to find a sandwich for sale. Today, there is a wealth of quality food-to-go available, particularly in the bigger motorway service stations. The beverage offering is perhaps just as important. As Irish consumers become more knowledgeable and demanding about coffee, the quality of the coffee offering is gaining in importance all the time. “Coffee is widespread now, almost a given,” agrees James Haigh.

Electric Vehicle charging

Outside the general food trends, including the move towards healthy eating, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging is a consideration for all sites where there is space, James reveals. “One of the key constraints is access to a suitable power supply which can be very expensive to resolve if not close by. In the UK, for example, we are

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging is a consideration going forward.

Owned by the supplying Oil Company whose name appears on the brand sign.

Dealer: An independently owned site usually supplied under an agreement with an Oil Company whose name usually appears on the brand sign. Also includes unbranded sites with no Oil Company identification.

Hypermarket: No Hypermarket branded sites remain in Ireland following the sale of the Tesco sites to DCC – all are now Company Owned

The table above compares the number of open and under development sites by brand, for the current release of data and the same period last year. It also shows the change in site numbers for each brand during the last 12 months to give a clearer picture of which brands are expanding and which brands are reducing their site numbers. DCC’s forecourt numbers include 77 Emo stores, 46 Centra branded forecourts and six Great Gas sites.

Graph 2: Market share by ownership

Graph 3: Market Development by Brand

The table above shows how the Republic of Ireland market is divided according to ownership.

Forecourt Focus: Analysing the Market

seeing a few EV-only forecourts in urban areas where home off-street parking isn’t widely available. We may see EV development on major transient routes and in urban areas but each site will need to look at the economics carefully to see if it works.”

Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson addressed this issue in December’s Retail News , when he revealed the company’s strategy is to “roll-out EV services gradually and to be site specific to meet demand where it is most needed”. Maxol Kinnegar, Co. Down, is delivering the company’s first dedicated EV hub, complete with five high-speed chargers servicing up to six vehicles at any one time. It opened on December 5 and planning applications for similar EV Hubs have been lodged for Maxol Newbridge and Maxol Ballycoolin, which the company hopes to develop over the coming year.

James Haigh believes that the Irish forecourt sector will remain fairly steady over the course of the coming year. “I think it will be fairly stable,” he states. “There will probably be a few new builds where the traffic flows/local trade area are suitable; and I’d expect some of the smaller sites to close.”

The table above shows the percentage of sites with a shop and car wash by brand.

The table above gives average shop sales per annum and average shop size and looks at the relationship between the two. It also shows average shop sales per annum per thousand litres of fuel sold, which gives an insight into the strength of the relationship between fuel and shop sales across the various brands.

FOR an explanation of these figures or if you require any further information, please contact: James Haigh Business Consultant - UK and Ireland Experian Catalist Mobile: +44 (0) 777 914 0937 Email: james.haigh@experian.com

Graph 4: Percentage of Sites with a Shop and Car Wash by Brand

Graph 5: Comparison of Shop Sales in Relation to Shop Size

New Homegrown at Maxol initiative to spotlight indigenous businesses

MAXOL are calling all small and medium sized food and drink businesses in Ireland, with a new programme, Homegrown at Maxol, set to support Ireland’s incredible food and drinks producers and help them grow.

Homegrown at Maxol will give four finalists a chance to shine, by winning prime shelf space in 72 Maxol stores, marketing support, as well as invaluable mentorship and a chance to exhibit their product to 400 convenience retailers. From the four, one outstanding product or producer will be chosen by Maxol as the inaugural Homegrown at Maxol Champion for 2023 at Maxol’s upcoming Retail Conference in April. Homegrown at Maxol is open to food and drinks products of all kinds and applications are open until March 31 at homegrown.maxol.ie

Developed in partnership with Champion Green, Homegrown at Maxol is the first programme of its kind in the forecourt and convenience retail sector that can offer immediate and tangible support to local businesses across Ireland. “The aim is to give small businesses an opportunity to grow and expand by getting prime shelf space in our company-owned stores in the Republic of Ireland, supported by creative marketing materials, advertising and mentoring support,” said Maxol CEO, Brian Donaldson. “There’s a real opportunity here for small businesses to scale up. However, if 72 stores is too big an initial step, there is also scope for winners to be showcased on a regional basis. We don’t want to be too restrictive, and we encourage any business in the food and drinks sector that isn’t already working with Maxol to apply today.”

The programme is part of Maxol’s strategy to support local, indigenous food and drinks producers and suppliers and in line with their commitment to expand their range of homegrown produce across their store network.

In 2021 Maxol joined Champion Green, a national movement established to boost local businesses, to demonstrate the company’s backing for SMEs. “Homegrown at Maxol is true to our mission to champion local sustainable business, and will be the start of something great for four fledgling SMEs in the food and drink sector in 2023,” noted Evelyn Moynihan, who heads up Champion Green.

“Growing the local economy needs industry leaders like Maxol to get behind small businesses, and, equally, for consumers to proactively support Irish enterprise.”

The programme invites entries from those operating in a wide range of areas, including ambient, confectionery, deli, hot, fresh, soft drinks, juices and smoothies, teas, health and fitness, milk and dairy based drinks and alcohol. “As long as the product is made in Ireland, we’d love to see it,” says Brian Donaldson, who will shortlist the best of the best along with fellow judges from Maxol and their wholesale partner, BWG, restaurant critic and wine writer Corinna Hardgrave, and Evelyn Moynihan of Champion Green.

Ultimately, Maxol retailers will decide the overall winner at the annual retail conference in April.

EuroMillions winner scoops €500,000 at Applegreen

ONE lucky Kildare resident is €500,000 richer, having won the February 21 EuroMillions Plus draw. The player, who wishes to remain private, purchased their winning Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw at the popular Applegreen service station on Sallins Road, Naas, Co. Kildare.

“I’m absolutely delighted! I’ve worked with Applegreen for 17 years and I’ve been manager in the station here in Naas for the last five years. This is by far the biggest win we’ve ever had in the store,” noted Anna Quish, Store Manager. “We just can’t believe one of our customers woke up this morning half a million euro richer! What a lovely surprise to get.”

Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson is joined by Champion Green’s Evelyn Moynihan & restaurant critic, Corinna Hardgrave for the launch of Homegrown at Maxol.

Anna Quish, manager of Applegreen in Naas, Co.Kildare is pictured alongside staff member Hristo, after it was announced their store sold the winning ticket in the February 21 EuroMillions Plus draw worth € 500,000.

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards open for entries

Entries for the 10 th annual Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are now open.

NOW in their 10th year, the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards have become a well-recognised badge of excellence amongst the food and drink community across Ireland. They are amongst the most prestigious and coveted awards in the industry, responsible for boosting sales and launching hundreds of innovative products onto the market.

The vast range of categories recognise a variety of quality food and drink products from retailers, wholesalers, foodservice and own label brands. The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards even have a Small Producers category, for companies with fewer than 10 staff and annual sales under €1 million, with a significantly reduced entry fee; this award offers artisan producers the opportunity to be judged alongside larger companies.

2022 winners

There was a fantastic selection of businesses who entered the awards in 2022, and winners included BWG Foodservice, who won the Foodservice Product of the Year for their Half Baguette with Quinoa, Chickpeas and Tomato; Bó Rua Farm, winners of the Small Producer of the Year sponsored by Dunnes Stores Simply Better; and Deli Lites Beets and Spirulina Crunch Pot, who picked up Product of the Year – the judges’ favourite from the whole judging period.

Warrenpoint-based food manufacturer Deli Lites won category prizes for five years in a row before winning the overall Product of the Year Award. “To have achieved four nominations and to win the biggest prize on the night at what are acknowledged as the Irish Food and Drink Oscars, is testament to our chef-led new product development team and the insightful grasp they have of upcoming trends in healthy and convenient on-the-go lunch options,” said Jackie Reid, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.

BWG Foodservice won the Foodservice Product of the Year in 2022 for their Half Baguette with Quinoa, Chickpeas and Tomato.

Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards

Speaking after picking up the 2022 Foodservice Product of the Year Award, Ricky O’Brien, Foodservice Director, BWG Foods, explained how the company were delighted with their win: “The Q logo is a recognisable trademark, representing the best in quality food and drink, and we are proud to work with the most reputable of suppliers who are very passionate about producing high quality produce, as evidenced by our success on the night.”

Detailed feedback from judges

Businesses are welcome to enter as many product categories as they wish, and they will then be invited to submit samples for the independent panel of over 100 respected industry experts to try during the rigorous judging process.

A fantastic benefit for all entrants, regardless of whether or not they win an award, is the detailed feedback that they receive from the judging panel for every product submitted. This provides the businesses with in-depth product insight from the independent industry experts, which can be used as a valuable product development tool.

10th anniversary of the Awards

“We are so excited to be celebrating our 10th anniversary of the awards,” explained Beth Treleaven, IQFDA Director. “Over the years, we have seen so many wonderful products and exciting producers come to the fore and establish themselves in the industry. We have seen small producers enter, win, and grow into large companies, winning contracts with retailers and wholesalers alike. It’s been a great pleasure to see these success stories over the years, and I can’t wait to see what fantastic products this year has in store.”

Winners of gold, silver and bronze awards will be provided with a winners’ press kit, including logos that can be added to product packaging to demonstrate to consumers that the winning product is of an exceptional quality. The press kit will also include a guide, containing useful tips on how to make the most of your win and maximise ROI.

Making a real difference

Winning an IQFDA can make a huge difference to your business. After winning the awards, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt in Co. Down received enquiries to produce own label by a major retailer. “It was through the Irish Qs that we were approached by Aldi to do own label for them,” explained Bryan Boggs, General Manager. “It’s really powerful to be on the end of a call like that, rather than being the one making one.”

This year the IQFDA will be hosting the 10th year celebrations again at The Round Room at The Mansion House in the heart of Dublin.

The deadline for entries is Friday, May 5, 2023. To find out more, and browse the different categories, head over to the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards website: irish.qualityfoodawards.com.

Bó Rua Farm were named Small Producer of the Year 2022, sponsored by Dunnes Stores Simply Better.

Deli Lites Beets and Spirulina Crunch Pot was the overall Product of the Year in 2022.

Herbs & Spices

Favourit: the chef’s choice comes to retail

ESTABLISHED in 1915, Favourit is Ireland’s oldest manufacturer of herbs and spices, supplying the Irish foodservice sector for over 100 years with quality food ingredients.

Originally founded by William Moss, the family-run business was inspired to source only the finest herbs and spices from around the world and import directly to Belfast. Since 1915, the quality of the brand’s herbs, spices and seasonings has led to Favourit becoming a staple in chefs’ pantries and kitchens across the island of Ireland, building trust and credibility with customers.

Retail launch

And now the brand is delighted to announce its launch into retail, giving consumers the opportunity to bring ‘The Chef’s Choice’ into their home kitchen.

Commenting on the relaunch, Favourit’s Managing Director, Gerard McAdorey, said “Favourit has a rich heritage dating back to 1915 and has been proudly produced in Belfast for over 100 years. After a two-year development project, we’re delighted to now roll-out our retail extension, which will be supported with a strong communication plan focused on the brand’s rich history and provenance. We’re looking forward to an exciting phase of growth for Favourit in the months ahead.”

Proud to be local, the new retail range, which continues to be manufactured in Belfast, includes 38 products across herbs, spices, and seasonings, all of which are approved products of The Coeliac Society of Ireland. Packaging includes fully recyclable glass jars with aluminium lids, alongside polypot line extensions which feature a redesigned brand logo with reference to the founding era of 1915 to celebrate the brand’s heritage.

Heavyweight brand campaign

The retail launch will be supported through a heavyweight brand campaign which will include shopper, social, digital, events and brand ambassador campaigns across the island of Ireland. Inspired by home cooking, Favourit has partnered with food-led influencer @belfast_undercover_chef to bring tasty one-pot meal ideas directly to your phone, and you can follow all the recipe inspiration @favouritfoods.

Favourit is represented by GM Marketing Limited – for distribution and more information, please contact sales@favouritfood.com or +44 28 9035 1673.

Favourit has a rich heritage dating back to 1915 and has been proudly produced in Belfast for over 100 years.

Favourit, the quality herbs and spices foodservice brand, is launching in retail, with a heavyweight marketing campaign ensuring Irish consumers are aware of its rich history and provenance.

The Favourit brand launches into retail after a two-year development project.

Crime and Retail

Crime epidemic hits retail hard

MORE than 95% of shop owners have been victims of crime in the last 12 months, according to a new survey of RGDATA members. The owners of over 400 convenience shops, forecourt stores and supermarkets throughout Ireland responded to the survey, which highlights the serious challenges that local community-based retailers are facing in dealing with high levels of crime each day (Survey sample – 405 retailers – survey conducted between January 10 and February 1, 2023).

offenders, with the criminal justice system doing little to deter or educate the offender or restore the victim to the status quo before the crime took place.

An epidemic of crime

“The RGDATA survey clearly shows that there is an epidemic of crime hitting local community-based retailers in Ireland,” noted Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General. “Local family-owned shops are suffering significantly from hugely elevated levels of theft and a deep frustration that crimes such as shoplifting and fuel theft are considered ‘petty’ and seen as acceptable and tolerated.”

The RGDATA Director General argued that the survey results send out “clear messages for An Garda Síochána and the judicial system”.

Over two thirds of retailers now feel more vulnerable in their shops than they did in the past.

Whilst 58% were satisfied with the response from the Gardaí to reports of criminal activity in their shops, most respondents felt that the Gardaí could do more to follow up with victims of retail crime.

Retailers commented positively on the Garda response for robberies and acts involving direct violence. However, they were critical of the Garda response to reports about shoplifting and drive-offs. Retailers in areas where Garda numbers have been reduced say this is having a direct impact on response times and the deterrent factor for criminals.

Respondents were deeply critical of the court system for failing to impose proper sanctions or deterrents against offenders convicted of retail crimes. There is a strong sense that people charged with crimes against retailers do not receive an adequate sentence for the offence committed and the impact that it has on the business owner.

Many retailers commented that there is a persistent problem with thefts carried out by minors, fuel drive-offs and repeat

“The Gardaí need to be responsive to reports of retail crime and not let an impression be created that some crimes are too small to be investigated,” she noted. “There is no such thing as a petty crime for the business owner that has to fund the losses incurred and manage the impact on the mental health and morale of the staff working in the store.”

She argued that the courts need to be “stronger and more consistent in sentencing policies for retail crimes”, in particular for repeat offenders: “If the courts are not imposing realistic penalties on those convicted of robbing shops, it is little wonder that the Gardaí can seem to have little incentive to investigate and prosecute cases.”

RGDATA are presenting the findings of the research to An Garda Síochána as well as the Minister for Justice, Simon Harris TD. The retail group is calling for the introduction of specific

95% of Irish retailers have been victims of crime over the last 12 months, according to shocking statistics revealed in RGDATA’s new crime survey.

The RGDATA Crime Survey reveals that a staggering 93% of respondents have been victims of shoplifting, 40% have suffered due to fraud in their shops and 25% have been the victims of robberies/burglaries.

Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

25% of stores have been the victims of burglaries.

offences dealing with retail crimes and abuse, harassment and violence towards shop owners and retail staff. “If the current patterns of offending continue, the risk to the personal safety of business owners and their employees and the viability of their businesses will result in many owners simply shutting up shop,” warned Tara Buckley.

Summary of responses

The RGDATA survey indicates that over the last 12 months; 93% of retailers have been victims of shoplifting;

40% have been victims of fraudulent activity;

25% said that they had been subjected to violent burglaries and robberies in their shops;

75% felt that levels of crime have become more dangerous over the last 12 months and they feel more vulnerable and more concerned about the staff in their shops than in the past;

Weapons were used in over a quarter of the crimes, including:

• Knives, machetes and swords;

• Wheel braces, hammers and crowbars;

• Firearms;

• Syringes;

• Axes;

• Bottles.

Staff are regularly subjected to threatening behaviour.

Crime and Retail

Shop owners and their staff were also subject to many abusive behaviours by people engaging in criminal activity in their stores, including: screaming and shouting, spitting, punching and kicking, sexual harassment, and false defamation claims.

• 0-15 minutes: 27%

• 15-30 minutes: 30%

• 30-60 minutes: 17%

• Over an hour: 26%

Over half of the retailers (58%) were satisfied with the Garda response to the crime and just under 55% have been kept updated on the investigation into the crime at their shop.

“Even with an armed robbery there was little follow-up,” revealed one Dublinbased retailer. “We had to keep calling them. The only time we got follow-up was when a young lad hit the panic button for shoplifting. Then the Gardaí wanted to give us a training lecture on the appropriate times to use the panic button.”

In 10% of cases, a retailer’s home and family were threatened during a shop robbery and burglary.

More than 50% of perpetrators of crime were from the retailer’s locality, while 48% came from outside the local area.

Retailers respond to crime rates

Retailers are justifiably angry with the levels of crime, particularly when it comes to what are considered ‘petty’ offences.

One shop owner from Co. Clare said: “I'd like to see shoplifting taken more seriously and not considered a petty crime. The law is against the retailer as the onus is on them to prove the crime.” These views were echoed by another retailer from Co. Kerry, who believes

by the

Of those convicted, only 19% received a custodial sentence.

that there is “no deterrent whatsoever to theft. Shoplifters have no fear of the law as usually they have nothing to lose in going to court. The burden of proof on retailers is so stressful that most either don’t bother reporting the crime or see it as a waste of resources.”

“In most cases we want the perpetrators warned and barred, as most are minors,” noted a Mayo shop owner, who confessed that trying to prosecute shoplifters feels like an exercise in futility.

If the courts are not imposing realistic penalties on those convicted of robbing shops, it is little wonder that the Gardaí can seem to have little incentive to investigate and prosecute cases.

Only 25% of the perpetrators were prosecuted and convicted – with nearly 75% not being pursued

State.

Antisocial behaviour is on the rise.

Gardaí were called in over 92% of cases, and response times ranged from;

“Shoplifting seems to be becoming an ‘acceptable’ thing that retailers just have to put up with,” said one Mayo retailer. “That's not right.” The same retailer called for more education in schools, including Gardaí visiting schools, and a more proactive approach to crime prevention.

“Staff have the right to a safe working environment,” argued another Dublin store owner. “We do an honest day’s work and the stress of shoplifters is harmful to our health and wellbeing. We can't catch all of them. We do our best. But small businesses suffer the most. A lot go out of business because of thugs that feel entitled to help themselves. Our area seems to be getting worse by the day and as Gardaí do not even turn up or answer their phone, we are all sitting ducks out here. Thieves know nothing will be done. I understand they [the Gardaí] have staff limitations, but the Government has to deal with this issue.”

Antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour, particularly by young people, is rampant. “In terms of youth offending, nothing ever happens,” revealed a retailer from Co. Dublin. “We

have two different groups of youths who cause havoc, not just in my stores but in the others, but most retailers in my area are fed up calling the Gardaí. These youths abuse staff verbally and have been known to throw items at my staff and nothing happens. It is nuts and out of control.”

A Carlow-based store owner said that his staff have been threatened by former customers who have been “barred” from the shop, with some staff members receiving death threats: "I'll put you to sleep! I'll kill you at home in your bed."

Retailers are angry that these crimes and their concerns are not being taken seriously. “I just can’t afford to keep writing the losses off!” warned a Dublinbased shop owner.

Another store owner in Co. Meath expressed their frustration that while there is “zero chance” of any financial compensation for stolen goods or for damage caused to the store, the financial obligations on the retailer only increase: “The only outcome that is certain after a claim is that my insurance premium will go up on renewal.”

Weapons were used in over a quarter of the crimes against retailers.

“

If the current patterns of offending continue, the risk to the personal safety of business owners and their employees and the viability of their businesses will result in many owners simply shutting up shop.

SuperValu Store of the Year Awards

Navan store named SuperValu Store of the Year

Smith’s SuperValu in Navan, Co. Meath, was named National SuperValu Store of the Year 2023 at the group’s National Conference.

SMITH’S SuperValu in Navan, Co. Meath, has been crowned winner of the prestigious National SuperValu Store of the Year title for 2023. The store was among a range of finalists from all corners of the country shortlisted for the award at the SuperValu National Conference, which was held in The Great Southern Hotel, Killarney.

Smith’s SuperValu also achieved the Best Large SuperValu Store of the Year award at the conference, while Garvey’s SuperValu in Cobh, Co. Cork, were named winners of the Best Medium SuperValu Store of the Year title. Kavanagh’s SuperValu in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, took home the Best Small SuperValu Store of the Year award.

The team from Smith’s SuperValu were presented with their award by SuperValu Managing Director, Ian Allen, and JF Michel, Account Director at Three Business, the competition’s sponsors. Winning this title recognises the exceptional standards at Smith’s

SuperValu store, which employs 120 staff and is very active in supporting local charities and the Navan TidyTowns Committee, as well as being a champion of local suppliers.

SuperValu stores throughout the Republic of Ireland were assessed and adjudicated by independent competition judge and retail consultant, Matthew Brown. The judging process focused on key criteria, including product range and innovation, store presentation, fresh food offering, sustainability, customer care and store quality and hygiene standards.

World class standards

“It was a great honour and privilege to be invited to take part in the judging for this year’s SuperValu Store of Year Awards,” said Matthew Brown. “I have to say the standard of retailing excellence from the SuperValu stores I visited is absolutely world class. SuperValu are leading the way in fresh food innovation and expert levels of service provided by butchers, fishmongers and deli counters. The stores I visited also had an incredible approach to food innovation and celebrating local supplier stories. All shortlisted stores should be very proud of their achievements.”

Dedicated staff and loyal customer base

On winning the award, store owner, Denis Smith, Smith’s SuperValu Navan, said the award was a testament to their team of dedicated staff and the support of their loyal customer base: “I’d like to

Fiona McQuail, Denis Smith, David O'Rourke and Youssef Liyounssi from Smith’s SuperValu, Navan, National SuperValu Store of the Year award winners, are pictured with Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu, Dan Curtin, Sales Director, SuperValu, and JF Michel, Accounts Director, 3, sponsor.

thank our brilliant team of employees back in the store; this award would not have been possible without their hard work and passion, day in and day out. I’d also like to thank our customers who have shown us so much support over the years and drive us on to keep providing fresh, local produce and the very best in customer service.”

Speaking at the awards, Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu congratulated Smith’s SuperValu Navan, and said, “Every year we are blown away by the high standard set by finalists who are paving the way as exemplar SuperValu stores

Kavanagh’s SuperValu in Claremorris, Co. Mayo, took home the Best Small SuperValu Store of the Year award. Pictured are Noel Kavanagh Jnr, Store Manager; Damien Hall, Fresh Food Manager; Teddie Molloy; and Noel Kavanagh Snr.

Garvey’s SuperValu in Cobh, Co. Cork, were named Best Medium SuperValu Store of the Year. Pictured are John Paul Curtin, Store Manager, with Tomás Garvey, Jim Garvey, and Kevin McCarthy.

nationwide and leading in our mission to build sustainable communities. I’d like to congratulate Smith’s SuperValu Navan for showing excellent leadership in the area of sustainability, implementing a truly innovative store product range and supporting local producers. The team at Smith’s SuperValu Navan are hugely deserving of this accolade and I’d like to wish them every success going forward into the future.”

TFI Leap Card services moving exclusively to An Post

TFI Leap Services are on the move. From May 2023, TFI Leap cards and retail top-ups will be available exclusively through the An Post network of Post Offices and PostPoint stores.

A TFI Leap Card is the easiest and cheapest way to pay for public transport around Ireland. TFI Leap is valid on all Bus Eireann services nationwide, including all city and town bus services.

TFI Leap is also valid for journeys on the rapidly expanding TFI Local Link network in rural Ireland. As Ireland’s largest retail network, An Post/PostPoint can guarantee availability of TFI Leap to customers everywhere.

PostPoint agents will start to offer TFI Leap services from mid-March on a phased roll-out basis. The service will be switched over exclusively to An Post/PostPoint in May.

The benefits of becoming a PostPoint agent

Becoming a PostPoint agent not only allows retailers to continue offering TFI Leap Services, but is also a fantastic opportunity to grow footfall and add new sales with a variety of popular services.

PostPoint agents can accept parcels for customer pickup and return, as well as a host of bill payments, including Local Property Tax and TV Licence renewal. Agents can sell stamps and One4all Gift Cards, with comprehensive marketing support throughout the year.

To ensure no interruption to your TFI Leap services, please contact PostPoint directly by email at aprs.leap@anpost.ie or call 1800 300 150 to arrange installation of a PostPoint terminal in your store.

Smoke signals

THE Irish Government is introducing additional restrictions on the sale and advertising of nicotine inhaling products such as e-cigarettes.

Under the new rules, the sale of e-cigarettes (and related nicotine inhaling products) will be prohibited from selfservice vending machines, from temporary or mobile premises and at places or events for children. In addition, advertisements for e-cigarettes will be prohibited on public transport, in cinemas and near schools.

The proposals are incorporated into the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill, which is designed to regulate any product that can be used for the consumption of nicotine-containing vapour or any component of that product.

The Bill already contained measures to ban the sale of nicotine inhaling products to those under the age of 18 and to introduce a licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products. Other measures contained in the Bill include:

prohibiting the sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products by persons under 18 years of age;

• prohibiting the sale of tobacco products from self-service vending machines, from temporary or mobile units and at events

or locations for children; introducing minimum suspension periods for retailers convicted of offences; introducing fixed penalty notices for offences.

"These measures are designed to protect our children and young people from starting to vape,” stated Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD. “We recognise that nicotine is a highly addictive drug, and we are acting today to make these products less accessible to our young people and to remove the advertising for these products from our children’s everyday lives."

The Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan, acknowledged that nicotine inhaling products are used by some adult smokers to assist them to quit tobacco smoking, but argued that “these products are of no benefit to our children and young people or to nonsmokers and that is why we are taking this action today."

However, the Irish vaping industry has repeatedly supported a ban on the sales of vaping products to those under 18. Vape Business Ireland, Ireland’s largest vaping trade association, has also called on the Government to step up enforcement of strict

existing regulations to clamp down on the actions of rogue actors.

The vaping organisation continues to cite statistics which maintain that vaping is far safer than smoking and an effective aid for those seeking to quit. They recently welcomed a report commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in the UK, which reaffirmed that vaping is “at least 95% less harmful than smoking” and remains the most commonly used tool in quitting smoking.

In 2021, smoking rates among adults in the UK decreased by 1.7%, while vaping prevalence increased to 1.2%, highlighting a clear correlation that when vaping rates increase, smoking rates decline. Over a third of vapers reduced the strength of the nicotine vaping liquid over time, underlining that people are using vaping as a gateway out of nicotine addiction, rather than as a catalyst for it.

In the report, it is revealed that 0.6% of people who vape have never smoked, or ‘never-smokers’. This reflects Irish data from 2021 which found a prevalence of less than 1% among never-smokers.

The report – which drew on more than 400 internationally published studies - has been described as the most comprehensive review of the health impacts of vaping. VBI

New legislation governing the vaping market is on the way, which experts feel will impact the market here.

COMPACT DEVICE

Vaping

called on Irish health authorities to give serious consideration to these findings.

Clear public messaging on the efficacy of vaping products as a harm reduction tool can be a factor in determining the success rate of adult smokers to quit, according to VBI.

“This report underlines the crucial intervention vaping is to smokers seeking to move away from cigarettes and to reduce their exposure to harm by 95% or more,” argued VBI National Spokesperson Eoin O’Boyle.

The latest report into the Irish vaping market from Euromonitor International predicts that the forthcoming regulations are likely to slow growth of e-vapour products over the coming months and years.

Retail value sales of single use closed vaping systems skyrocketed in 2021, making it the highest performing e-vapour product in this category, according to Euromonitor. In light of falling rates in Ireland following the outbreak of the pandemic, single use closed vaping systems have been able to attract many new consumers or existing ones who might have switched back to smoking traditional tobacco products, due to convenient, simple and user-friendly features compared to other vaping systems. Sales of open vaping systems also recorded strong growth in 2021, though, as Covid-19 restrictions were gradually lifted and independent retailers were allowed to reopen their physical shops.

Euromonitor feel that open vaping systems are expected to remain the key driver of smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Ireland over the coming years because they are cheaper to use in the long term and they can be used to vape different types of e-liquids. Innovation of e-vapour products is likely to continue as there is increasing demand for durable and versatile vaping kits with adjustable features which are smarter and allow consumers to tailor their vaping experience at any time.

Logic Compact

The vaping category has continued to grow and evolve, but one aspect that remains is JTI’s commitment to providing

high quality products that meet strict standards.

Since JTI launched Logic Compact four years ago, they have consistently innovated, adding new flavours, and grown their product range to meet adult consumers’ and customers’ needs.

metallic colours, while enhanced features like fast charging, vape while charging and splash-proof design solve key needs and make a difference in the everyday vaping experience.

Logic Compact is a rechargeable (reusable) pod system which allows users to easily change flavours without cleaning or maintenance.

“We don’t stand still at Logic,” explains a spokeperson for JTI Ireland. “You will see continued innovation and product enhancement for Logic Compact as we maintain our focus and resources on the growing Pod segment.”

JTI’s sales-force and their customer services team are on hand to provide expert support and advice about the Logic range and help you maximise vaping category sales. You can order Logic products through their web ordering portal, JTI Engage, your local JTI trade marketer, by calling JTI customer services on (01) 4045400, or through cash and carry.

Vuse

With the Vype to Vuse transition, BAT Ireland promised further innovation from the Vuse brand and they are upgrading their current ePod device to the ePod 2.

With this upgraded device, Vuse are giving consumers a product that combines convenience and power in a sleek and distinctive, angular design. The new design allows Vuse consumers to stand out and express themselves through two premium

Retailers do not need to do anything! There are no changes to barcodes as this is an upgrade to the current ePod device. The ePod 2 will just flow through as retailers place orders when their current stock runs out. You will start to notice the upgraded devices packs in shops soon.

BAT Ireland promise more exciting things to come for the Vuse brand this year.

There are a lot of more exciting things to come for the Vuse brand this year and BAT Ireland look forward to sharing more with their retail partners soon.

Vuse are upgrading their current ePod device to the ePod 2, with enhanced features like fast charging, vape while charging, and splash-proof design.

If you wish to place any orders for Vuse products please visit the website, b2b.pjcarroll.ie, or speak to your BAT representative.

Logic Compact is a rechargeable pod system which allows users to easily change flavours without cleaning or maintenance.

Logic Compact, from JTI Ireland, has consistently innovated since its launch in Ireland four years ago.

Protein power

PROTEIN is becoming increasingly sought after due to its health benefits; with higher protein consumption being linked to overall well-being. Recent years have seen a huge growth in awareness of and demand for protein, with a whole industry growing up around products that are high in protein. Once the sole preserve of gym users and fitness aficionados, these are now very much mainstream products.

A growing number of manufacturers are now including protein in products that are previously not associated with being high in protein (eg breakfast cereal and pasta), according to the latest report into protein products from Euromonitor International.

There is a general move towards health and wellness across western economies, including Ireland, including increased interest in protein, according to Euromonitor. Protein has been known to keep one fuller for longer and to build muscle/body strength. It is also one of the key ingredients of a balanced diet in order to promote overall health and wellbeing. However, with the high prices of meat and dairy, consumers are also seeking other forms of protein in the form of eggs, beans, peas and soy.

Euromonitor International’s Health and Nutrition Survey 2022 reveals that the top

two reasons given for following a highprotein diet are ‘to improve my fitness’ and ‘makes me healthier’. Some diets, like Keto, advocate consuming higher amounts of proteins over carbs, and are also drivers of increased protein consumption.

Sports nutrition looks set to perform strongly throughout the coming years, Euromonitor predict, with all categories projected to record impressive growth in volume and current value terms. Given that increased health-consciousness is expected to be a lasting legacy of the pandemic, growing participation in sports and fitness activities among the Irish population should continue to boost overall demand, while manufacturers are expected to further broaden the appeal of their products to the overall population, particularly those with busy, on-the-go lifestyles or individuals attempting to improve their nutritional intake and lose weight.

An increasing number of highprotein products, even those not usually associated with the macronutrient, are seen on supermarket shelves. The range is extensive, from snack products to breakfast cereals, all with a focus on protein inclusion. Brands are also increasingly highlighting the inclusion of protein on product packaging as a form of marketing,

appealing to the consumer desire for higher protein content.

Food products that contain higher levels of protein typically carry a higher unit price. Euromonitor have identified an opportunity for increased innovation in proteins that address a specific need, citing examples such as energy balance, weight loss, muscle repair and satiety as areas of growth potential.

Myprotein with Brandshapers

Myprotein has appointed Brandshapers Ltd as its partner to launch its products into Irish bricks-and-mortar stores. Brandshapers will first launch Myprotein products into SuperValu stores nationwide and plan to roll-out to the rest of the market soon.

Myprotein’s core product range includes sports nutrition staples such as protein bars, high protein foods, snacks alternatives, powders, and pre-workout blends, bringing consumers the highest quality nutrition to fuel their ambitions at an accessible price point.

The partnership celebrates Brandshapers’ commitment to recognising and representing important consumer needs within the sports nutrition category in the Irish retail market.

Demand for products that are high in protein continues to grow, as protein products are very much part of the mainstream across a host of categories.

Protein Products

Lindahls

Full Range

clear whey isolate

Myprotein’s core product range includes sports nutrition staples such as protein bars, high protein foods, snacks alternatives, powders, and preworkout blends, bringing consumers the highest quality nutrition to fuel their ambitions at an accessible price point.

Full Range

Myprotein’s specialist supplement brand, Myvitamins seeks to make health and wellness simple for less, utilising raw and high-quality ingredients backed by science.

As part of the partnership, Brandshapers will also launch Myprotein’s specialist supplement brand, Myvitamins, into the Irish retail market. It seeks to make health and wellness simple for less, utilising raw and high-quality ingredients backed by science. Its in-house nutritionists and industry experts provide consumers with innovative formats to meet a range of consumption occasions, from ready-to-drink shots, vitamins gummies, capsules, and tablets.

“Brandshapers are delighted to be appointed as the official retail partner of the MyProtein and MyVitamins brands in the Irish retail market and we are thrilled to bring these brands to Irish consumers

in stores nationwide for the first time,” noted Clinton Arblaster, Commercial Controller, Brandshapers Ltd. “As the demand for health-conscious consumer preferences continues to accelerate and drive developments in the category, MyProtein and MyVitamins represent the ideal fit.”

A Myprotein representative highlighted the fact that they have already established a strong online presence in Ireland: “As consumer habits change, we wanted to make our products available to people, no matter how they decide to shop.”

For more information, visit www.myprotein.ie and www.myvitamins.ie

Lindahls continues to go from strength to strength in Ireland, where the brand is growing by a whopping +87.2% year-onyear (Source: 52 w/e 06/11/2022 Value Sales, Nielsen Multiples Ireland).

Lindahls’ broad range of products consists of their core 150g Kvarg pots which contain 15g protein and are available in seven delicious flavours. Lindahls Kvarg pots have a thick and smooth texture, and are ideal to be consumed by themselves, topped with fruit / granola, and are a great addition to many recipes, making them extremely versatile and perfect for every occasion.

As well as their core Kvarg range, Lindahls have also introduced a Pro+ range which is targeted towards avid gym-goers looking to up their protein intake. The Pro+ range has a unique 50:50 mix of whey protein and casein protein, and comes in tasty flavours such as Lemon Cheesecake and Banoffee Pie. Lindahls Pro+ range is available in convenient 150g pots which contain 18g of protein per serving.

The brand is also disrupting the world of desserts, with the launch of a range of Protein Puddings available in indulgent Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavours. These smooth, tasty desserts pack in 14g of protein per 140g pot and are low in both fat and sugar.

Lindahls continue to put a great emphasis on innovation in order to provide great tasting, high protein products in a variety of versatile formats to their consumers.

Lindahls Pro+ range has a unique 50:50 mix of whey protein and casein protein, and comes in tasty flavours such as Lemon Cheesecake and Banoffee Pie.

Protein Products

Myprotein at Iceland Ireland

Myprotein have launched a new frozen prepared meal range at Iceland Ireland, with a plethora of delicious and nourishing lunch and dinner time options. The range consists of over 10 low-calorie, high-protein frozen meals and snacks, starting from €4.50. This is the first time Myprotein has offered frozen meals, and in such a fantastic selection, with a supermarket. Each dish is packed full of protein, ranging from 19g up to a whopping 60g of protein, low in fat, with over half the dishes containing less than 10g of fat, and high in fibre.

The range features a huge selection of pasta options, including Myprotein Beef Lasagne (€4.75, 400g, 36g protein), Myprotein Bolognese Pasta (€4.75, 350g, 34g protein), Myprotein Meat Feast Pasta (€5.75, 550g, 47g protein) and Myprotein Pulled Pork Mac N’ Cheese (€4.75 350g, 31g protein).

Other options include Myprotein Singapore Style Noodles (€5.75, 550g, 41g protein), Myprotein Jerk Style Chicken with Mango (€5.75, 500g, 34g protein), Myprotein Katsu Chicken (€4.75, 500g, 24g protein) and Myprotein Piri Piri Chicken

(€5.75, 550g, 59g protein).

The range also includes breakfast options, like the Myprotein Breakfast Wrap (€4.50, 320g, 41g protein) and the Myprotein Veggie Breakfast (€4.75, 400g, 20g protein).

“We are delighted to reveal our new frozen meal prep range in collaboration with Iceland Ireland, helping drive our range expansion for Myprotein customers, while providing Iceland Ireland’s customers with access to the highest quality, curated nutritional frozen food,” noted a Myprotein spokesperson. “For over 15 years Myprotein has built a trusted reputation for delivering best-in-class nutritional product, convenience and value. We're excited for our existing customers to try this new rangeand for new customers to join the Myprotein community.”

Grenade Oreo

New Grenade Oreo Protein Bar combines one of the country’s favourite high protein, low sugar bars

with the unmistakable great taste of Oreo cookies, the number one biscuit brand in the world!

With 21g protein, just 1g of sugar and a whole lot of that iconic Oreo flavour, this bar is the real deal. The bar features a creme layer flavoured with genuine Oreo vanilla flavour and a nougat centre loaded with authentic Oreo cocoa flavour. With this instantly recognisable black & white centre and a taste to match, this is a bar that the most die-hard Oreo fans will love.

Wrapped in Grenade’s signature low sugar chocolate, they have added a topping of real sugar-free Oreo cookie pieces; exclusively developed by the masterminds at Oreo to maintain their low sugar commitment.

“After partnering with Mondelēz in 2021, a collaboration with one of their great products was first on our list to go out and get done. Oreo was the perfect fit,” explained Rob Page, Grenade’s Head of Product. “After 18 months of development, we have landed on a product that combines both brands perfectly, in taste and in nutrition. Our hope is the co-branded bar continues the work done by the Grenade brand, delivering added benefits without compromising on taste, whilst bringing new consumers into Grenade protein bars. It's not to be missed!”

Rafael Espesani, Oreo UK Senior Brand Manager at Mondelez International, added, “We are really excited to partner with Grenade for this exclusive launch, bringing two iconic snacking brands together for a flavoursome and unique product that will surprise and delight consumers.”

Grenade Oreo Protein Bar the high protein, low sugar bar with the unmistakable great taste of Oreo cookies.

Myprotein’s new frozen prepared meal range is available at Iceland Ireland.

ASAI to utilise AI tools on social media content

WHILE recent years have seen a myriad of brands, including those in the FMCG market, utilise the social media space to connect with consumers, some employing influencers as brand ambassadors for high profile campaigns, new research conducted on behalf of the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) reveals that Irish consumers don’t hugely trust influencers.

In fact, the research found that:

- Only one in 10 people have trust in what influencers post on social media;

- Over half of Irish consumers (56%) trust brand advertisements more than social posts by influencers;

-

67% consider edited images the most ‘annoying’ feature, while over 60% are ‘annoyed’ by the inauthenticity of influencers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) that evaluates activity by social media influencers and assesses if they are disclosing content correctly or not is set to be implemented by the ASAI, the independent, self-regulatory body committed to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications in Ireland.

The ASAI-commissioned research into social media influencers reveals that a lack of authenticity, edited photos, too many paid ads and influencers misrepresenting real life are the top traits that cause annoyance amongst Irish consumers.

Consumer concerns regarding influencer marketing

The survey was conducted as part of the ASAI’s ongoing commitment to understand consumer issues and concerns regarding influencer marketing, so the organisation can continue to proactively provide guidance in this area and increase the monitoring of those who consistently breach the advertising code. The survey results are based on the views of 1,000 participants across a broad demographic, interviewed online and representative of the adult population (The research was carried out by Amárach Research. Fieldwork took place from November 16-24, 2022, with a sample of 1,000 participants).

Nearly seven in 10 (67%) are familiar with the practice of influencer marketing, with awareness being highest (75%) amongst those age 35 and under. A majority (71%) believe that when an influencer posts an ad, they are being paid by the brand to post positive content, which is slightly down from 80% in 2021.

Lack of trust

While the research found that 84% of consumers use social media apps frequently and almost 40% of those use them for tips or inspiration, consumer confidence in what they’re seeing online is still extremely low, with just one in 10 consumers having trust in influencers’ posts, while over 62% believe that influencers post too much sponsored content. Echoing similar results of the recent Social Media Influencer Report released by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in December, this research reveals that

there is a severe lack of trust between influencers and consumers.

Some of the top traits people find most ‘annoying’ from influencers according to the ASAI research include edited photos (67%) and influencers who do not come across as authentic (63%). As was the case in 2021, according to the ASAI’s first Influencer Marketing Survey, over half (51%) of people in Ireland say they are concerned by the lack of transparency in influencer marketing.

Hashtags and labelling in online advertising

The research also provides insight into people’s understanding of the use of hashtags and labelling in online advertising. Over half of consumers (55%) were able to reference various hashtags or phrases used to identify influencer advertising contentdown 11% since last year. Among the most frequently recognised were #sponsored (61%), #ad (55%) and #paidpartnership (46%). However, 59% of people confirmed they didn’t recognise #sp and 54% didn’t

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland are going to use Artificial Intelligence to proactively identify social media posts by influencers and breaches of the advertising code, as new research reveals a lack of consumer trust in ‘influencers’.

recognise the hashtag #iworkwith. 71% of people were aware that when an influencer posts an affiliate link that they are being paid by the brand being linked.

While the majority of people might find these results surprising, the ASAI has found that some of the statistics in fact correspond with what the organisation has discovered already as part of their ongoing work in the area of Influencer Marketing. For example, the ASAI has strict guidelines around the disclosure of influencer content, having introduced revised guidance on the ‘Recognisability of Marketing Communications’ in 2021. This guidance note covered commercial content created on behalf of brands, as well as commercial content created by influencers for their own products and services. However, the results of this research indicate that there is a need for additional guidance for both consumers and influencers, particularly around labelling, correct ways to disclose and to re-enforce the importance of influencers adhering to the Advertising Code.

Updated guidance on social media use

The ASAI are working with the CCPC on updated guidance to ensure there is increased clarity in relation to responsibilities and requirements from influencers when advertising on social media.

“As we can see from this research, over half those surveyed remain bothered by both the lack of transparency in influencer marketing and not being able to distinguish content from advertising, which echoes similar results to the Social Media Influencer Report released by the CCPC last December,” explained Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI. “Both the ASAI research and the CCPC report show that there is a need for more transparency from influencers with regard to labelling their sponsored content clearly and correctly, as well as more guidance and education for both consumers and influencers alike in this space. To help with this, we are planning to continue implementing the use of AI tools and working with the CCPC to develop further guidance.”

Greater responsibility not to mislead consumers

Kevin O’Brien, member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, said: “The CCPC welcomes the ASAI’s on-going work on consumers’ understanding of how influencers and brands operate on social media platforms. Similar to our own research, published late last year, the ASAI’s research reinforces that platforms and brands must take greater responsibility for educating and informing their users and consumers, and must support influencers in clearly and consistently labelling paid content so that consumers are not misled. We look forward to working with

the ASAI in developing guidance which will assist influencers, brands and consumers in this regard.”

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland is committed, in the public interest, to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications that is advertising, promotional marketing, and direct marketing. The objective is to ensure that all commercial marketing communications are ‘legal, decent, honest and truthful’. Media are required to abide by the Code and not to publish an advertisement or conduct a promotion which contravenes Code rules. The Code covers commercial marketing communications and sales promotions in all media in Ireland including digital (online banners, websites, and social platforms), print, outdoor, radio, TV, leaflets/brochures, and direct marketing.

For more information on advertising self-regulation, the ASAI, and the operation of the system, visit www.asai.ie

The ASAI-commissioned research into social media influencers reveals that a lack of authenticity, edited photos, too many paid ads and influencers misrepresenting real life are the top traits that cause annoyance amongst Irish consumers.

Over half of Irish consumers (56%) trust brand advertisements more than social posts by influencers.

Only one in 10 people have trust in what influencers post on social media.

Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI.

Design Rights

The shape of things

Mathew Forde, Partner at Lewis Silkin Ireland specialising in Intellectual Property law, explains exactly why design registration is so important.

DAVID Ogilvy, the advertising guru and founder of Ogilvy & Mather, famously said: “You cannot bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them in buying it.”

The successful retailer will be familiar with the alchemy employed to spark the purchaser’s ‘interest’ and will likely have this in mind when selecting products for sale; perhaps targeting products whose stand-out appeal comes from the attractive power of brand familiarity, or those whose allure is driven by shape, colour or texture, or products easily promoted by a persuasive underlying story. These are all familiar tools in the sales and marketing magic box, each harnessed to engage interest in the product offering and hopefully commit the consumer to purchase.

In today’s multiple-choice market, where we are confronted with an infinite sea of similar type and priced products, each jostling and competing for attention, often one of the most effective ways of differentiating between offerings is using aesthetics. In this context, a visual design element is one of the significant factors that influences consumer perceptions.

Take, for example, purely functional products. Functionality is a difficult sell in a crowded market, where expectation of function satisfaction is usually taken as a

given. At the end of the day, a squeezable bottle of washing detergent holds detergent, a toothbrush cleans your teeth, and scissors cut paper. When confronted with offerings to satisfy largely functional needs and where price is less of a factor, as consumers, our product purchasing choices are typically driven by other nonfunctional considerations such as shape, colour, pattern, texture or size over our expectation of product performance. This is particularly the case with luxury items.

Good design sells

Consider the last time you removed a quality bottle of wine from its clean, precision cut gift-box or slid open a tray of chocolate truffles from its presentation chest. How did it feel? Was the unboxing a sensual event and perhaps you even smiled during the revelatory process? And of course, everything about this introductory experience is intentional and design-led.

Aesthetics can make a product seem more trustworthy and thereby enhance the expectation of quality, which are major selling points in any marketplace. It is well recognised that consumers tend to make decisions based on reliability and trust, so you need to make them feel that in choosing a product they have placed their faith in responsible, intelligent hands. This is where good designers and marketers

can work together to better assess what consumers are responding to and, if necessary, rebrand or redesign the product or its packaging.

Design rights

A recognisable design not only enhances product identity but, importantly, it can be protected as intellectual property. For the uninitiated, design rights comprise a separate body of intellectual property rights to copyright or trademarks. In essence, designs rights protect the appearance of things, by which we mean the shape, configuration, and ornamentation of products or articles.

To enjoy protection, the design must be novel, which means it must not be identical to an existing design already available to the public. The design must also have individual character, which means that the overall impression it produces on informed users must differ from the overall impression produced on similar users by an earlier design.

Registered designs are increasingly being used by businesses and designers to protect their products and related market positions.

Design right protection in Ireland is complex and multi-layered. First, there are Irish registered design rights, which last for 25 years. There are also unregistered

Intellectual Property & Design Rights

bottle incorporated several distinguishing features, including its own logo but these additional features were deemed by the judge to be insufficient to neutralise the design infringement. The judge declared: “Going back to the statutory test, it is whether the [registered designs] in suit and the Aldi bottles produce a different overall impression. In my judgment, they do not because of the features that they have in common.”

Original designs can help to make a product seem more trustworthy and thereby enhance the expectation of quality, which are major selling points in any marketplace.

EU design rights, which last for three years, and registered EU design rights, which also last for 25 years. The key takeaway is that registered rights are generally easier to enforce than unregistered rights and last much longer.

It is important to remember that they do not protect the underlying idea or functionality, which may be eligible for patent protection. For some products, a design registration may be a more suitable, achievable and less expensive option than pursuing a patent; and a registered design enjoys a longer period of protection than a patent.

At an EU level, nearly 100,000 Community Designs are registered each year.

Why is design right protection important?

The primary advantage of a registered design right is that it can be used to prevent the copying of your product by an unscrupulous competitor. The copycat designer well understands that, as emotional beings, we tend to make snap judgments as consumers and form quick opinions about the quality and the trustworthiness of objects and our interactions with them. As such, we are often taken in by products whose get-up looks familiar to us but may actually be different to what we think we are buying – perhaps the colours tally, or the shape seems the same, or it looks just like the product we saw at a friend’s house or the one recommended to us online under the tag: ‘people who purchased this also purchased these…’.

Enforcement of design rights

In most cases, the registration of a design right will act as a deterrent to the copycat designer. Proof of registration can also be

an extremely effective ‘take-down’ tool for quickly removing copycat products from online stores. But retailers need to be alert to product design rights when it comes to their own product selection and protection. What does enforcement mean in practice?

The statutory test for whether a registered design has been copied is whether the competing (copycat) product produces a different overall impression in the minds of the informed user. If the competing product doesn’t produce a different overall impression then it could well be infringing. If it does create a different overall impression, then it probably won’t be infringing.

A useful illustration of what this means in practice is the recent case that came before the High Court in the UK, involving yet another high-profile IP battle between M&S and Aldi. This time, it didn’t involve a Colin the Caterpillar cake but rather whether Aldi’s Infusionist gin liqueur bottle infringed the design of the M&S festive light-up gin. Both products used identically shaped bottles, each underlit and containing gold flakes. Interestingly, Aldi’s

The significance of this ruling is that products do not have to be almost identical for there to be design infringement. Merely, there needs to be a high degree of commonality in the design features, which reinforces the point that the determining test of whether one design infringes another design is, ultimately, one of overall impression, not exactitude. It should, however, be added that Aldi have indicated that they will be appealing the judgment.

Summary

If a new product incorporates standout design features and has enduring sales potential, then protection through registration will always be advisable. Registering a design right will ensure that you retain exclusivity and control of the design of the product in the jurisdiction in which the design is registered. Product designs with protectable distinguishing features will always add value to the product range which, in turn, will enhance the reputational and goodwill value of the related brands.

A recognisable design not only enhances product identity but, importantly, it can be protected as intellectual property. “

Kylie Minogue launches 0% alcohol Sparkling Rosé

KYLIE Minogue Wines are launching their first 0% alcohol Sparkling Rosé in Ireland, with flavours and acidic balance mirroring that found in wine. Through a blend of premium organic European grapes and green tea selected from the Liu-Da Mountains of Yunnan province in China, Kylie Minogue Wines’ 0% alcohol production process provides maximum development of wine attributes without generating any alcohol. Kylie Minogue Wines’ Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé has just 22 calories per 100ml, which is around 80 less calories per glass than a standard glass of Prosecco, making it a delicious, lighter alternative. “I am over the moon with the incredible response to this latest addition to the Kylie Minogue Wines portfolio,” noted Kylie. “Our first zero-alcohol wine and a truly sparkling example what can be achieved in this area.” Kylie Minogue’s 0% alcohol Sparkling Rosé is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Irish Distillers announce half-year results

SuperValu launch new rosé: Screaming Devil

SUPERVALU have added an exciting new premium rosé to their wine range. Screaming Devil rivals the much-loved Whispering Angel and is available exclusively in SuperValu stores nationwide (RRP €18.99).

SuperValu wine expert, Kevin O’Callaghan says Screaming Devil is from the Cote de Provence Vineyards, which are known to set the benchmark for rosé internationally:

IRISH Distillers have announced results for the first half of their financial year (ending December 31, 2022). The results show strong growth across their portfolio of Irish whiskeys in the first six months of the financial year, led by Jameson with sales of 6.4 million cases (+11%).

Jameson remains the fastest growing Irish whiskey in the world and one of the Top 5 international whiskey brands in the world. Irish Distillers’ prestige range of whiskeys experienced volume growth of 26% in the first six months of the financial year, driven by the success of the Redbreast family (+20%) which having surpassed 100,000 cases in 2022, demonstrated growth in key markets including the US (+32%), Ireland (+7%) and Global Travel Retail (+22%). Similarly, the Spot range of single pot still whiskeys continues to develop its loyal consumer following, demonstrating overall portfolio growth of +39%, and the Powers Irish Whiskey brand recorded volume growth of +15% compared to last year.

Nodjame Fouad (pictured), Chairman and CEO at Irish Distillers, said the results “demonstrate the strength of our portfolio of Irish whiskeys”.

New MD at Mulrines

ONE of Ireland’s leading juice production companies, Mulrines have appointed Michael Lyttle as their new Managing Director. With 20 years’ experience across the FMCG sector, the new Managing Director will play a key role in supporting the company’s growth plans, which have recently seen them investing in new production capacity in the Ballybofey factory, along with £10 million (€11.4 million) in a new production facility in Sion Mills, creating 54 jobs over the next three years. “I’m very excited about taking on this role with an established and ambitious business like Mulrines,” noted Michael Lyttle (right), pictured with Mulrines Chairman, Peter Mulrine.

“Provence is famous for the delicious wines and rosés that have been produced in the region for centuries and is the benchmark for rosé internationally. The wines of Provence have refreshing acidity, burst with bright berry flavours, and usually come in gracefully-shaped bottle designs. Screaming Devil comes with a great price tag and rivals the world-famous Whispering Angel. Don’t be afraid to go to the dark side; you won’t be disappointed!”

Bushmills reveal latest Causeway Collection bottle

BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey have revealed the tenth and final release from their current Causeway Collection, a rare 33 Year Old Port Cask, is to be sold exclusively in World Duty-Free’s stores at Heathrow Airport. This is the oldest expression ever released from The Old Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. Only 690 bottles of the cask finished, cask strength (53.3% ABV), non chill-filtered Irish single malt will be available. The highly anticipated expression from Bushmills Master Blender Alex Thomas was made available to purchase in World Duty Free stores across all terminals at Heathrow Airport for RSP £1,245 (€1,420).

Ukraine’s biggest beer arrives in Ireland

OBOLON beer has finally arrived in Ireland, as the largest domestic Ukrainian beverage producer partners with Barry & Fitzwilliam. Obolon went down in history to become the first private company in independent Ukraine by receiving a privatisation certificate from the State Property Fund of Ukraine No. 1. It became the nation’s household beer, synonymous with freedom and independence, two things that were taken away from all Ukrainians the night their country was invaded. Today, Obolon’s sources of artesian water are used for water production, including free distribution to the military and people in war-torn regions of Ukraine. Additional funds are needed to be able to continue to provide this assistance and so Obolon aim to raise a million dollars through the auction of the last bottle of Obolon beer brewed in a peaceful Ukraine. Barry & Fitzwilliam are very proud to announce their partnership with Obolon. The first consignment has now landed, and Barry & Fitzwilliam will be donating to Obolon’s noble mission for every bottle sold in Ireland. “We are very proud to be associated with this venture and we look forward to a successful long-term relationship with Obolon,” noted Managing Director Michael Barry. “We are delighted to be able to help the Ukrainian community indirectly.”

Baileys partner with Eurovision Song Contest

Drinks Ireland slams critics of ‘no alcohol’ products

DRINKS Ireland has responded to claims by Alcohol Action Ireland that zero alcohol products are “being used as a Trojan horse to both expose children to alcohol brands and to circumvent the intent of the Public Health Alcohol Act”. Cormac Healy (pictured), Director of Drinks Ireland, described the growth of zero alcohol products as a positive development: “It’s unfortunate to see criticism of zero alcohol products from certain organisations. Zero alcohol products have a clear role to play in supporting moderation, and so the growth of this category is something we should all be encouraging, not discouraging. There is clear demand for these products from adult consumers, and the public is already ahead on this issue when it comes to what they’re drinking and how they’re drinking. Industry is answering a real shift in consumption patterns.”

Cormac stressed that “there are very strict codes in place on the advertising of zero alcohol drinks and they are never advertised or promoted to underage audiences”, and argued that “criticism of their promotion suggests an anti-industry bias rather than a fact-based outlook.”

Irish Distillers announce sustainable packaging change

IRISH Distillers have announced that as part of their sustainability and responsibility roadmap, all Irish Distillers’ secondary packaging across their portfolio of Irish whiskeys will be recyclable, reusable, compostable or removed entirely by the end of 2025. The Jameson portfolio will drive the change with the progressive removal of gift boxes, ultimately resulting in the removal of approximately four million units between now and the end of 2025. Consumers can expect to see a gradual reduction of secondary packaging in markets over this timeframe. “Operating and thinking sustainably is not an option; it is a necessity,” noted Nodjame Fouad, Chairman and CEO, Irish Distillers. “In recent years, we have made a number of changes across our operations to support our sustainability and responsibility ambitions. Today, we are announcing new sustainable packaging changes across our portfolio of whiskeys to help reduce waste.”

BAILEYS are unveiling a three-year partnership with the Eurovision Song Contest, the world’s most joyful, global celebration of inclusive and diverse cultures and communities. A truly delicious combo, this partnership has all the ingredients for the ultimate celebration, with togetherness, playful indulgence, pride, unfiltered joy and of course, treats! As Official Partner to the event taking place this year in the UK from May 9-13, Baileys will bring playful, delicious moments to the event both on-site at Liverpool Arena and to Eurovision Song Contest parties across the globe as millions are ‘United By Music’ for this unique event. Jennifer English, Global Brand Director for Baileys, noted, “Baileys and Eurovision together make the perfect recipe for utterly indulgent fun and we can’t wait to drizzle some delicious, playful indulgence over this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.”

Kraken Rum’s playful Valentine’s campaign

THE Kraken Rum adopted a playfully menacing campaign for Valentine’s Day, drawing inspiration from the legendary sea monster from which the brand DNA derives. The ‘Krakentine's’ campaign offers consumers a unique seaweed bouquet harvested from the salty shores of the Irish Sea, delivered to consumers’ doorstep with miniature bottles of Kraken Rum and a seaweed cocktail kit.

Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards

FROM eel and ale and sheep’s milk yogurt to eco-friendly pig farming, the winners of the 30th Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are a diverse group that represent a commitment to provenance, sustainability, quality and flavour above all else.

With just eight prestigious awards presented, the biggest winner of the day was Irish cheese, with Ballylisk of Armagh, Gabriel Faherty of Aran Island Goats’ Cheese and brothers Kevin and Seamus Sheridan of Sheridans Cheesemongers all picking up awards at the 2023 Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG) Food Awards.

“Since the Food Awards’ inception, each winner has been chosen independently and anonymously by IFWG members, recognising the best in Irish food by shining a light on smaller producers who might otherwise slip under the radar,” explained Caroline Hennessy, chair of the IFWG. “From traditional products of the highest quality to new innovations, this year’s winners exemplify what is so exciting about Ireland’s food and drink industry right now.”

The winners of the 2023 Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are:

1. Food Award: Smoked Lough Neagh Eel, Co. Antrim

2. Food Award: Velvet Cloud Sheep's Milk Yogurt, Co. Mayo

3. Food Award: Ballylisk of Armagh, Co. Armagh

4. Irish Drink Award: Beoir Chorcha Dhuibhne for Béal Bán, Co. Kerry

5. Notable Contribution to Irish Food: Gabriel Faherty, Aran Island Goats’ Cheese, Co. Galway

6. Environmental Award: The Wooded Pig, Co. Meath

7. Community Food Award: Field of Dreams - Down Syndrome Cork, Co. Cork

8. Lifetime Achievement Award: Kevin and Seamus Sheridan, Co. Galway

Celebrating the artisans

Three decades on from the first IFWG Food Awards, Caroline Hennessy took a moment to celebrate how the industry has evolved and how this has been reflected in the Food Awards each year: “When the IFWG Food Awards began in 1993, it was with the aim of promoting and celebrating Ireland’s indigenous food producers and as Ireland’s artisan food scene has developed and flourished, our core principles have remained true.

“Guild members have always shared a passion for nurturing a proud and vibrant Irish food culture. 30 years on from those first awards, we are fortunate to live in a

Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards presented

country where there is more attention paid to the food we eat, to who is producing it and how it is produced. Many of the winners from the early years are still familiar names today, proof of their enduring quality and we have no doubt that this year’s cohort of winners will continue that legacy.”

Una Fitzgibbon, Director of Marketing at Bord Bia, who sponsor the IFWG Food Awards, said: “Bord Bia is delighted to support The Irish Food Writers’ Guild as it consistently highlights the outstanding quality, craftsmanship and innovation in Ireland’s artisan food industry through these awards. Now in their 30th year, these awards have honoured those in the sector that take ingenuity and entrepreneurship to the next level. Congratulations to all those involved in these prestigious food awards and, of course, to the very deserving winners.”

About the winners:

Irish Food Award - Smoked Lough Neagh Eel

A Lough Neagh eel is a curious thing.

Born in the Sargasso Sea, the young elvers gradually make their way across the wild Atlantic to mature in the largest freshwater lake on the island of Ireland.

It’s a unique habitat and one which ensures that Lough Neagh eels are renowned for their flavour and texture. In 1965, Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-Operative was set up to safeguard the traditional methods of catching eels. In 2011, Lough Neagh eel joined an illustrious line-up of foods such as Champagne, Gorgonzola and Parma ham when it was awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status by the EU. In line with careful conservation guidelines, the Co-Operative now catches and processes around 220 tonnes of Lough Neagh Eel annually. A select few are smoked and it is this smoked Lough Neagh eel that wins a 2023 IFWG Food Award.

Website: loughneagheels.com

Irish Food Award - Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Milk Yogurt

There’s something ethereal about Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Milk Yogurt. “Nothing added, nothing strained away,” the label says, just the pure, natural goodness of sheep’s milk from an almost 400-strong flock on the Flanagan family farm near Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Nutritionally, it punches above its weight with a higher-than-average protein yield, alongside probiotics and live cultures. Eaten on its own, the yogurt is a

The Irish Food Writers’ Guild celebrated 30 years of food awards with a spotlight on cheese, eel and ale at the 2023 awards.

pleasure in itself, but it performs magical things in sauces, marinades, drinks, bakes and desserts. Website: velvetcloud.ie

Irish Food Award - Ballylisk of Armagh

Ballylisk's range is a real taste of Armagh. Mark Wright, one of the fifth generation of the Wright family who grew up on the family farm at Ballylisk, Co. Armagh, makes Ballylisk's Triple Rose. This white mould ripened, single-herd, triple cream cheese was Armagh's first farm-produced cheese. Since developing and launching the flagship Triple Rose, Ballylisk has gone on to make two more gorgeous cheeses. There is also a range of accompaniments, notably a balsamic Bramley apple chutney, to complement the cheeses. Website: ballyliskofarmagh.com.

Irish Drink Award - Béal Bán from Beoir Chorcha Dhuibhne

Adrienne Heslin is one of Ireland's early craft beer innovators, founding Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne, also known as West Kerry Brewery, in 2008 in the garden of her pub, Tig Bhric, in Ballyferriter on the Dingle Peninsula. Beoir Chorcha Dhuibhne was the first brewery in Kerry and the first in Ireland to be founded and managed by a woman. With a small 800-litre kit and using water from 150 feet below the brewery, this is true craft brewing that has an intense connection with its terroir. Besides Béal Bán, which is a brilliant golden ale, Adrienne and her team now have 17 beers in their portfolio. Website: westkerrybrewery.ie.

Contribution to Irish Food Award - Gabriel Faherty of Aran Islands Goats’ Cheese

Gabriel Faherty is a born and bred Aran Islander who started his cheese journey after his wife bought him a cheese-making course as a birthday present. When he decided to buy a herd of frisky goats, Aran Islands

Goat's Cheese, Cáis Gabhair Árann, was born. In 2021, Gabriel set up Aran Food Tours and combines his cheese production with bespoke tours on the history, culture and food of Inis Mór. Gabriel is the very definition of a seanchaí, a storyteller, and his deep knowledge of the island, coupled with his passion for food, makes him a real food hero and a marvellous ambassador for the Aran Islands, Galway County and beyond. Website: arangoatcheese.com

Environmental Award - The Wooded Pig

Eoin Bird established the Wooded Pig in 2016 on his family-run farm in the Boyne Valley in Tara, Co. Meath, where he and his team produce ethically raised free-range Irish pork charcuterie. Eoin values the importance of seasonal, ethically produced food and its provenance. He and his artisan team practise ethical and regenerative agriculture, not only to craft the best possible food produce, but also to ensure a nature-friendly farming network. The pigs roam freely among ash, oak and beech trees, allowing them plenty of shade in the summer and endless mud to bathe and dig in when it rains. Curing meat is a long process involving butchering, spicing and drying. These age-old traditions are carried out on the grounds of the farm, thus ensuring full traceability, the highest possible food production standards and reduced food miles. It all makes for very happy pigs and delicious, hand-crafted charcuterie. Website: thewoodedpig.ie

Community Food Award - Field of Dreams

Field of Dreams was established in 2017 by the Cork branch of Down Syndrome Ireland. The three-acre site supports the learning needs of adults with Down Syndrome across the city and county of Cork, using horticulture as a catalyst for learning and personal development. From seed to plot to plate, participants work together to grow

and harvest food, learn about good nutrition and how to cook. Field of Dreams works to enable adults with Down Syndrome to lead fully engaged lives with greater personal independence and self-reliance. Field of Dreams is a perfect example of how food and community come together. Website: fieldofdreamscork.ie.

Lifetime Achievement Award - Kevin and Seamus Sheridan

From farmers’ market stall to household name, that’s been the journey for Kevin and Seamus Sheridan, who started selling cheese at Galway’s Saturday market in 1995 and who have worked to develop and grow a market for Irish farmhouse cheese. Building strong relationships with producers and working closely with them to get the very best have been central to the ethos of the company. Today, the Sheridans name, and that distinctive green, white and gold packaging, is synonymous with quality. They've opened up a new world for the cheese lovers of Ireland. Website: sheridanscheesemongers.com.

About the awards

The IFWG Food Awards are unique. No business or individual can enter, nor do they know if they have been nominated or shortlisted for an award. The Guild is the sole nominating and decision-making body, whose members nominate and anonymously buy products for tasting, with the exception of the Community Food Award, for which the Guild invites nominations. Proportional representation voting is then undertaken at a Guild tasting meeting. Winning products must be produced in Ireland and the main ingredient must be Irish grown or produced.

For more information, visit www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie

Seamus Sheridan of Sheridans Cheesemongers, who along with his brother Kevin, won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

IFWG Awards 2023 Winner Adrienne Heslin, West Kerry Brewery for Béal Bán ale.

IFWG Awards 2023 -contribution to Irish Food Award winner Gabriel Faherty, Aran Islands Goats' Cheese.

The Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund in conjunction with Today’s Women in Grocery are delighted to invite you to:

of Positive

Speakers

Event Details

When: 12pm, Friday, 5th May 2023

TWIG PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD

What: Exciting Speaker Panel, Tesco Finest Champagne Reception & Networking followed by Lunch & Roku GinWag. Plus Amazing prizes to be won on the day! New Dublin Royal Convention Centre, Chancery Lane Venue: (Beside Radisson Blu Royal Hotel)

Proudly Sponsored by

Compère Sonya Lennon Designer & Entrepreneur

Fiona Parfrey Entrepreneur & Founder, Riley Sarah Ferguson General Manager, Kelloggs Ireland

Natasha Adams CEO Tesco Ireland

Betty Quigley Global Chief Commercial O cer, L’Oréal Rachel Hennessy Entrepreneur & Founder Happy Days Fashion Retail

Sharon Keegan Entrepreneur & Founder Peachylean

Niamh Briggs Former Irish Rugby player & member of An Garda Síochàna

Sharon Walsh Managing Director, Heineken Ireland

BIG NEWS FROM MAYFAIR

MAYFAIR is extending its Big Box portfolio yet again with the addition of a new ‘Giga-Box’ format, which will contain a remarkable 40 sticks of Mayfair Original King Size cigarettes. Bigger pack formats have become a popular choice amongst existing adult smokers in recent years, and the latest addition to Mayfair’s portfolio aims to deliver even more convenience for smokers. The innovative GigaBox offering means that existing adult smokers now have a format that provides even better value without compromise (versus 2 x 20 Mayfair Original King Size 20 Packs); with each stick containing the same affordable quality tobacco that continues to make Mayfair Ireland’s number one value brand

(Source: Nielsen ROI

Extended Scantrack, RMC SOM, MAT January 29, 2023).

FERRERO LAUNCH ICE CREAM RANGE

FERRERO are adding some ‘cool’ to the frozen aisle with the launch of a new ice cream trio. Backed by a multi-million euro marketing campaign, Ferrero are rolling out the unrivalled taste of their chocolates in an ice cream stick format, as Ferrero Rocher Classic, Ferrero Rocher Dark and Raffaello will be available as premium ice cream sticks for consumers’ treating moments. Encompassing the signature taste of Ferrero Rocher, the new Ferrero Rocher Classic and Ferrero Rocher

Dark ice creams are coated with crunchy hazelnut pieces and filled with a smooth hazelnut flavoured ice cream. The Raffaello ice cream sticks comprise a crispy coating with a generous sprinkling of coconut shavings and crunchy almond pieces with a smooth, refreshing coconut flavoured ice cream.

SAFEFOOD AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS

PARTNERSHIP

SAFEFOOD and Special Olympics Irelandhave announced an innovative new partnership called ‘Health@Play’ that will use fun, interactive games to help teach healthy, lifelong habits to younger athletes and their parents. The ‘Health@Play’ programme was developed by safefood in partnership with Special Olympics Ireland and will for the first time bring health education through sport to children with intellectual disabilities aged 4-15 years within their community clubs and schools. “We will continue to explore fun and engaging ways to educate children on the importance of eating healthily and how that connects with being active,” said Fiona Gilligan, Director of Communications at safefood.

“Nurturing our children to develop these positive habits from an early age can give them the building blocks towards a healthy life.”

NEW NESCAFÉ GOLD BLEND CAMPAIGN

NESCAFÉ have launched ‘Expect more from every cup’, a new campaign under Nescafé Gold Blend that aims to show how the brand focuses on sustainability, from the farmers who grow coffee to the way coffee is produced, packaged and used. The campaign launches in Ireland on April 3 and highlights some of the brand’s sustainability achievements. “This new Nescafé Gold Blend campaign brings sustainability to the forefront of our communications,” revealed Sinéad Duffin, Country Category Manager - Coffee, Nestlé Ireland. “We want to take consumers on a journey and show them the sustainability behind their cup of Nescafé, from the way quality coffee is grown to how it’s produced, packaged, and delivered. ‘Expect more from every cup’ means we are committed to making a positive impact on coffee farmers’ lives as well as on the planet.”

EGG-TASTIC EASTER WITH TONY’S CHOCOLONELY

TONY’S Chocolonely have an egg-cellent range of delicious products made with ethically sourced chocolate returning to shelves across Ireland just in time for Easter. Back by popular demand, Tony’s classic Easter favourite, the Eggstra Special Chocolate Eggs are bite-sized and perfectly formed, solid egg versions of Tony's best-selling classic bars and retail at €5. Flavours include Milk Chocolate (32%), Milk Caramel Sea Salt, Milk Hazelnut, Milk Almond Honey Nougat, Dark Milk (42%), Pretzel Toffee, Dark (51%), Dark Almond Sea Salt and Pure 70% Dark Chocolate (70%). The devil is in the detail, with the seven flavours deliberately unequally divided over 12 eggs a nod to the current inequality in the chocolate industry. The range also includes Tony’s Egg-stra Special Chocolate Egg Mixed Flavour Pouch, with 20 mini eggs (RRP €6), Egg-stra Special Chocolate

Egg Caramel Sea Salt Pouch and Egg-stra Special Milk Chocolate Egg Pouch, each with an RRP of €5.

IRELAND ANNOUNCE ‘HEALTH@PLAY’

THE Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath TD, joined staff, senior members of the UK and Ireland leadership team and industry representatives, to officially open Nisbets’ new national distribution centre and showroom in Cork recently. Nisbets are one of Europe’s leading multinational distributors of catering equipment and restaurant supplies to the professional hospitality sector, with more than 30,000 customers in Ireland and an omnichannel presence. The new distribution centre is located at the Blarney Business Park and its opening has created an additional 20 full-time jobs. Nisbets now employ 39 people in Cork across customer support, sales, accounts and warehousing operations.

Pictured are Eoghan Donnellan, Nisbets’ General Manager for Ireland; Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath TD; Noreen Lawrence, Nisbets HR Team; and Robin White, Nisbets’ Managing Director for UK and Ireland.

AVOCA staff recently presented their charity partner, The Gavin Glynn Foundation, with a cheque worth over €35,000. Avoca partnered with The Gavin Glynn Foundation in December 2022 to produce a double wick charity candle and hosted two ‘Carols by Candlelight’ concerts to raise much needed funds for the charity. All proceeds from the sale of the candles and concerts will go towards helping families of children battling cancer to travel overseas for treatment not available in Ireland.

Pictured are: Caitriona McWeeney, Finance Director; Jayne and John Glynn, Founders of The Gavin Glynn Foundation; Holly Newport, Senior Marketing Executive; Ciara McDonald, Senior Designer; Darragh Donnegan, HR Business Partner; and Lynne Foran, Senior Retail Buyer.

STAFF at St Colman’s Community College in Midleton, Co. Cork, used the recent mid-term break to claim their EuroMillions Plus top prize worth a whopping €500,000. The ‘Seomra 22’ syndicate purchased their winning quick pick ticket in Tim McCarthy News on Main Street in Midleton. The 64-strong syndicate has had several weeks to come to terms with the win and process all the local hype and excitement surrounding it. “The buzz around the town has been phenomenal! I’ve had people coming up stopping me in the street to congratulate me and the locals are genuinely happy for us, which makes the win even more enjoyable. It’s given our town and community a real positive boost and lift, which was really needed”, said Rebecca Walsh, school secretary and syndicate manager.

PUPS in the Park, Ireland’s ultimate dog festival, have announced the return of Leader Dog Food as headline sponsor for a second year in a row. The much-loved event will return for 2023 in the iconic location of Dublin’s Marlay Park on April 22 and 23 and for the first time, will take place in Cork’s famous Showgrounds venue on April 29 and 30. The festival is expected to attract over 14,000 dog lovers and their canine companions across both events.

ALDI have launched

nationwide search to find their next Irish ‘Chief Easter Egg Tasting Officer’. Three lucky applicants will land the job of a lifetime, honing their tasting skills as they receive and review Aldi’s range of Easter eggs. Recruits will be asked to share their thoughts on taste, texture, and appearance, and most importantly, winners’ insights will impact the selection across Irish stores for 2024! Meanwhile, Aldi have stepped up support for cost-conscious customers with the development of their budgeting advice hub (https://groceries.aldi.ie/en-GB/ offers/amazing-savings). Aldi’s ‘Amazing Savings’ web page now offers customers access to a wide range of hints, tips and hacks, as well as numerous budget-friendly recipes.

THE Flogas energy partnership with the Irish Men’s Shed Association (IMSA) scooped the Best Community/Charity Engagement Award at the 2023 Bonkers Awards recently. As energy partner, Flogas supports all the valuable work the Association does in keeping the Sheds a warm, safe and hospitable place for all their members. It worked closely with them during Covid, which left many ‘Shedders’ feeling isolated, alone and demotivated. Pictured are David Kerr, CEO of Bonkers, presenting the Best Community Engagement Award to John Conroy, Marketing Manager, and Ken O’Byrne, Commercial Director, Flogas.

A BRAND new six-part documentary TV series, Food Matters, presented by GIY Founder Michael Kelly (pictured), is set to air on RTÉ One from Wednesday, March 29. The series will uncover Ireland’s food sustainability and how the food system is a major contributor to the climate change emergency. Throughout the series, Michael Kelly travels across Ireland to meet with farmers, food producers, food experts, climate experts, chefs, economists, ecologists and activists as he digs deep to uncover the complexity of the Irish food system, how it works, how it delivers and how it impacts the environment.

KELLOGG Europe, the cereal and snacks company, have reached their goal of having 50% male and female representation at manager level and above throughout their European organisation. Additionally, in Ireland, 57.1% of the senior executive leaders are female. This achievement comes three years ahead of schedule, as the goal was due to be reached by the end of 2025. “We are so proud to have reached our target as a result of our intentional focus on gender parity. We have accelerated our efforts around women in leadership and we have invested in developing and promoting female talent throughout our organisation,” noted David Lawlor, President, Kellogg Europe, pictured with Gráinne O’Brien, Senior Director for Corporate Affairs, Kellogg Europe.

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