Retail News Magazine July/August 2023

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Looking to the future

THIS issue of Retail News is all about the future. First up, some of the biggest names in Irish grocery reveal what they would like to see Finance Minister, Michael McGrath TD, unveil in Budget 2024, due this October. With rising costs a huge concern for already pinched margins, forthcoming labour legislation, and its potential costs for beleaguered retailers, are top of the agenda (Page 2).

In our Retail News Interview, Seán Higgins, MD of Future Proof Insights, explains how his company uses cutting edge technology to deliver real insights into how consumers respond to brands in-store (Page 14). They utilise the latest tech to measure shoppers’ mental and physical responses, delivering valuable data that can make a real difference to how brands interact with potential customers. Meanwhile, Mathew Forde from Lewis Silkin Ireland identifies the benefits and challenges of generative AI for both retailers and consumers (Page 26), and we also look at what retailers need to do ahead of the Deposit Return Scheme going live next February (Page 51).

Elsewhere, we report on a busy month of fundraising events for the IGBF (Page 18), store owner Mary Forde explains how her symbol group partner supported her through the toughest of times after a fire devastated her Spar store (Page 22), we reveal the brands most beloved of Irish consumers via the Kantar 2023 Brand Footprint (Page 32) and Jean Smullen highlights Ireland’s Top 20 wine brands in the off trade (Page 36).

Kathleen Belton Editorial & Marketing Director

2 Finding room for retail in Budget 2024: retailers call for Government support.

4 Grocery sales up as inflation rate lowers to 15.8%; Aldi open two new stores.

5 Beer production and exports rise but consumption down.

6 EPA calls on food businesses to sign Food Waste Charter.

7 Ireland surpasses all EU recycling targets in 2022.

The Retail News Interview

14 Dublin based Future Proof Insights use cutting-edge technology to get inside the shopper journey, measuring responses from the brain, the eyes, the facial expressions and the skin, to ascertain how consumers respond to brands in-store, from packaging to promotion. Seán Higgins, MD, explains the technology behind the data.

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

18 Three massive events during June raised an impressive €160,000 for the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund.

Shop Profile

22 Mary Forde’s Spar store in Tallow, Co. Waterford, has been part of the Spar Group since its inception in Ireland in 1963. Without their support, Mary’s shop would not have survived a fire last November.

Panini

24 Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024, the only official Premier League trading cards, are on sale from August 3.

Retail Technology: Artificial Intelligence

26 Mathew Forde, Partner at Lewis Silkin Ireland, examines the issue of generative AI and identifies the opportunities and risks for retailers and consumers.

Kantar Brand

Footprint

32 Resilient brands are standing their ground and thriving in challenging times according to Kantar’s 2023 Brand Footprint, explains Emer Healy, Business Development Director, Kantar.

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

36 In our annual report, Jean Smullen examines the top 20 wine brands on the Irish off trade, with some notable movers over the last 12 months.

Deposit Return Scheme

51 Re-turn, operators of Ireland’s forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme, outline what retailers need to do to ensure compliance with the new scheme, including those who qualify for a Take Back Exemption. We also profile RVM Systems, who have begun rolling out topof-the-range Reverse Vending Machines to Irish stores.

Sustainability: Supporting Local

58 Guaranteed Irish recently held an event focused on sustainability and the benefits of supporting local brands for brand owners, retailers and shoppers.

Finding room for retail in

Inflation

ChangeClimate

LabourCosts

WILL the Government’s trickle-down economics plan have run dry by the time it reaches shop doors? That’s the question on retailer minds in the run-up to Budget 2024. According to the Summer Economic Statement, Finance Minister Michael McGrath TD intends to increase spending by 6.1% next year. This measure, remarks McGrath, "will allow the Government to provide the level of investment we believe is necessary to maintain public services and protect incomes, without adding unduly to inflationary pressures”.

Retail News spoke to a number of retail representatives and supermarket CEOs who welcome the Minister’s approach to a

Crime Energy Costs

big picture economy. Arnold Dillon, Director of Retail Ireland, noted that “capacity and bottleneck issues around the supply of housing, childcare, the provision of public transport and transport networks” may be improved by increased investment and “deliver sustainable growth over the medium-term horizon”.

But can the Government’s big picture promises be “introduced in a way that doesn't add to the cost of small businesses?” wondered Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

Chief among retailer concerns, in the approach to Budget 2024, are labour cost increases. These, according to John Moane, Chief Commercial Officer, BWG Foods, are “driven by a multitude of factors that includes an almost certain significant increase in the minimum wage and the planned commencement of auto-enrolment in 2024. This is in addition to various other recently introduced legislative requirements for employers, such as Statutory Sick Pay, which together have created an impossibly complex compliance environment.”

By 2026, the minimum wage is set to morph into a living wage. Furthermore, notes Vincent Jennings, CEO of CSNA, “the potential for changing the sub-minimum

rates for people under the age of 20, are going to affect enormously that element of our costs”.

John Moane argues that combined, “these new measures are forecast to add over 20% to the cost of employment, which already represents the single biggest cost for doing business as an independent retailer - and this is without consideration for the longer-term impact. Precedence shows that an increase in minimum pay drives wage inflation at all levels, meaning the cost of business will increase throughout the wider supply chain over time.”

What solutions might be reached in the October budget? CSNA has called for the

Arnold Dillon, Director, Retail Ireland.

John Moane, Chief Commercial Officer, BWG Foods.

Budget 2024

Alongside labour costs, retailers are still beset by high energy costs. At the time of writing, the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) is due to stop at the end of July.

Vincent Jennings, CEO of CSNA.

Finance Minister to review the living wage due to questions around the methodology of its calculation, particularly the inclusion of “salaries of foreign direct investment companies”.

Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra, told Retail News he wants “Government to implement plans to assist small businesses that are heavily reliant on people to offset the cost of the proposed living wage”.

He warned that “Retail is a low margin business, and without Government support, many small independent retailers will struggle to deal with the increased costs involved.”

BWG Foods have introduced measures to help their retailers “navigate compliance and streamline employee administration processes”, which include a new people management platform, entitled H2R (Hire 2 Retire), according to John Moane.

“It is imperative that the Government deliver meaningful support and offsetting measures,” said Moane. “For example, a reduction in tax or PRSI related commitments, to help independent retailers adjust to new cost increases and stay compliant with new regulations too. Businesses cannot afford to take the full cost of these new measures at this time and small businesses such as independently owned retail stores are among those most exposed.”

Arnold Dillon proposed the introduction of a PRSI credit for lower-earning workers, relative to increasing weekly labour costs over the next number of years. Retail Ireland also encouraged the Government to ensure that people’s incomes are not overtaken by inflation and to adjust tax bands accordingly.

Ian Allen believes Government should continue the TBESS scheme at least until the end of the year: “The TBESS scheme has been a lifeline for many small businesses and has helped deal with the huge increase in energy costs which have not yet abated.” The SuperValu and Centra MD called on Government to continue energy supports for independent retailers until energy prices decrease in line with “the lower wholesale energy prices in the market at the moment”.

Retailers also want to see measures that will assist them in reaching ambitious climate targets. Vincent Jennings encouraged the implementation of Accelerated Capital Allowances to allow retailers to access energy efficient or environmentally friendly products: “speeding up the ability of the retailer to write down [an investment] against taxes in year one, rather than putting it down over an eightyear period.”

Crime is another subject on retailer submissions for Budget 2024. BWG’s John Moane told Retail News: “While the majority of independent retailers have become far more vigilant around store security, due to an increasing incidence of crime and antisocial behaviour at store level, there are many legal considerations which restrict the extent to which retailers can protect their employees, customers and premises. A stronger Garda presence on the ground would help address these challenges.

It is critical that An Garda Síochána is afforded the appropriate resources in the

upcoming Budget to respond to the needs of communities across the country, particularly in areas most affected by criminal behaviour.”

Retail crime, noted Buckley, is interwoven with the attractiveness of town and city centres. “There are various schemes around empty and vacant buildings, living over shops, and so on,” she said. “Government must make sure those schemes operate in a way that brings a positive benefit to businesses in the town centre and doesn't cost them extra. It's about managing red tape and also managing the cost.”

Retail Ireland agree, calling for town regeneration scheme investments to remain “centre stage” and ensure a balanced mix “of retail, housing and transport”.

The complexity of doing business in Ireland has increased radically in recent years, according to retailers we spoke to. The Finance Minister, therefore, should consider a multitude of factors in Budget 2024 to ensure the retail sector remains productive.

“There is an operating environment emerging that increasingly favours larger businesses who have the scale and resources to manage additional costs and navigate challenging legislative frameworks,” explained BWG’s John Moane. “We’re taking proactive steps to ensure that our retailers remain highly competitive. However, it is critically important that the Government gives due consideration to smaller businesses in the upcoming Budget so that the entrepreneurial backbone of our economy is protected into the future.”

Tara Buckley, Director General, RGDATA.

Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra.

Grocery sales up as inflation rate lowers to 15.8%

TAKE-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 10.8% in the four weeks to June 11, 2023, as the average price per pack increased 14.1%, according to the latest data from Kantar. Shoppers returned to store more often during June (+9.2%) compared to last year, making an average of two additional trips, down slightly compared to May.

While value sales are up this month, grocery price inflation remains the reason behind this. Grocery inflation rose by 15.8% in the 12 weeks to June 11, 2023, which is down on last month’s level of 16.5% and is the lowest level of inflation seen so far this year.

“This latest drop in grocery price inflation will be very welcome news for consumers, although it is too soon to say if this is the ceiling as inflation rates are still much higher than we have previously seen,” noted Emer Healy, Senior Retail Analyst at Kantar.

Over the 12 weeks to June 11, 2023, take-home grocery sales increased by 11%, with consumers turning to shopping little and often to help manage household budgets. The percentage of packs sold on promotion also increased to 25.8% compared to 24.7% last year, showing shoppers are carefully choosing promotional items to help them to make ends meet.

“Irish consumers enjoyed longer, warmer days during the last four weeks and took the opportunity to crack out the barbecues. As a result, they spent an additional €2.9 million on beer and lager, €1.9 million on chilled burgers and grills, and €1.2 million on fresh sausages,” according to Emer Healy.

(Running Head

With the costof-living crisis bringing change to traditional shopping and eating behaviours, people are also thinking more about what they eat and how they cook at home. As shoppers look for easier meals with less waste, sales of total chilled ready meals shot up by 20%, with shoppers spending an additional €2.9 million yearon-year.

Over the 12 weeks to June 11, 2023, the growth in sales of own label (15%) was almost double that of brands (7.8%) as shoppers look for ways to save money. Value own label saw the strongest growth, up 28.9% year-on-year, with shoppers spending €15.7 million more on these ranges.

Online sales remained strong over the 12-week period, up 2.2%, with shoppers spending an additional €3.5 million on the platform year-on-year. New shoppers boosted overall growth by €6 million, as nearly 17% of Irish households purchased online.

Dunnes, Tesco and Lidl all grew sales ahead of the total market in terms of value this month, with the gap in market share beginning to close between the top two retailers.

Dunnes continue to hold the highest share amongst all retailers, at 22.9%, with

Aldi open two new stores

ALDI recently opened two new stores in Athenry, Co. Galway, and Kanturk, Co. Cork, as part of an €18 million investment, creating 60 permanent jobs. 160 jobs were supported during the construction phases of both new stores.

These stores represent Aldi’s 159th and 160th stores in Ireland and bring the total number of stores opened across Ireland this year to five.

In 2022, Aldi reaffirmed their commitment to expanding their Irish operations, announcing two ambitious expansion plans for the West of Ireland and Dublin. These plans will see 16 new stores across Connacht and the capital by 2027 as part of a €135 million investment, creating 490 permanent jobs with a further 900 supported during construction. These new stores also follow Aldi’s award-winning Project Fresh layout.

growth of 15% year-on-year. This growth stems from shoppers returning to store more often, up 2.1% year-on-year, along with new shopper arrivals up 3.3% yearon-year.

Tesco hold 22.6% of the market with 13.5% growth year-on-year. Tesco have the strongest frequency growth amongst all retailers, up 17.7% year-on-year, contributing an additional €103.6 million to their overall performance.

SuperValu hold 20.7% of the market and growth of 6%. SuperValu shoppers make the most trips in store compared to all retailers, an average of 24 trips, up 15.3% year-on-year.

Lidl hit a record new share of 13.7%, with growth of 15.5% year on year. More frequent trips and new shoppers contributed an additional €45.2 million to the retailer’s overall performance. Aldi hold 12.3% with growth of 10.3% year-onyear. A boost in new shoppers and more frequent trips contributed an additional €49 million to overall performance.

Local Councillor John Paul O'Shea, Aldi Store Manager Aurelija Barbsiene and staff members Ausra Vilpauskiene and Sigita Gailyte are pictured at Aldi’s newly opened store in Kanturk, Co. Cork.

Beer production and exports up but consumption down

BEER remains Ireland’s favourite alcohol beverage, but consumption remains below pre-pandemic levels and more and more consumers are trying zero alcohol variants of their favourite beer. The annual Irish Beer Market Report from Drinks Ireland - Beer, shows that the ending of the pandemic resulted in a 110% increase in total production of beer in Ireland as both the domestic and international markets reopened, but beer - and overall alcohol consumption - continues to decline. Data from Revenue shows that beer consumption fell by 3.2 % between 2019 and 2022.

Amongst the report’s key findings are:

• Beer’s share of the national alcohol market grew by over 8% to 43.5%, meaning it remains Ireland’s favourite drink;

• Total beer production in Ireland more than doubled in 2022, as national and global restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic were phased out and people once again were able to drink in pubs, clubs and restaurants;

• The UK is the biggest export market for Irish beer, followed by the United States, France, Germany and Belgium;

• While consumption grew year-on-year in 2022 as pandemic restrictions were lifted, total consumption is still down over 3% compared to 2019, with per capita consumption down by 7.8%, mirroring a continued fall in alcohol consumption in Ireland over the last 20 years;

• Nearly 60% of the beer consumed in Ireland is lager, with stout accounting for nearly 35%;

• 28% of the price of a pint paid for by the consumer goes directly to the Exchequer in VAT and excise, with Irish excise rates the second highest in the EU, behind Finland;

• Two thirds of beer is purchased in on-trade venues like bars;

• Sales of zero alcohol beer increased by 25% last year and 0.0% beer’s market share has increased four-fold over the last five years. All signs are that Ireland will develop a significant zero alcohol beer market in the years to come, if promotion continues.

Cormac Healy, Director of Drinks Ireland, welcomed the recovery in beer sales, but reminded us that these increased sales followed large drops in consumption in 2020 and 2021, as consumers stayed home. “However, it is notable that beer sales have not fully recovered, as consumers generally reduce their alcohol consumption. Ireland’s extremely high rates of excise duty on beer do nothing to help sales either, of course,” he said.

The Drinks Ireland Director described the growth of 0.0% beer as a promising trend, offering consumers a choice that supports moderation: “While the category is emerging from a low base here, we see from markets like Spain and Germany that 0.0% drinks have a market share of over 10%. Based on data from Drinks Ireland - Beer members, we can see that over the last five years, the market share for 0.0% beers has grown by 325% and last year alone, volume sales increased by 25%. Brewers should be allowed to market and promote these products under the strict codes already in places, and not be targeted with unnecessary additional regulation on products that can actually support the Government and industry objective of reducing alcohol misuse.”

Meanwhile, Drinks Ireland responded to claims from anti-alcohol lobby group Alcohol Action Ireland, who claimed that alcohol is too “affordable” in Ireland, stating that such claims are “simply untrue” and “out of touch with reality”.

“Recent Eurostat data, looking at the cost of living in Ireland indicated that Ireland has some of the most expensive alcohol prices in the EU,” noted Cormac Healy. “This is driven by extremely high levels of excise duty on alcohol, which is the second highest in the EU, as well as Minimum Unit Pricing, introduced in January 2022.

“In this context, the Alcohol Action Ireland proposal to further increase alcohol prices is simply ludicrous and totally out of touch with reality. It would do nothing except hit already extremely hard-pressed Irish consumers, who face some of the highest prices on consumer goods in the EU. While we fully support the objective of reducing harmful consumption, hitting consumers who enjoy a drink and do so in moderation with such broad based extreme policies is not logical.

“Further, Ireland has some of the most stringent legislation and codes in the world for the marketing and sale of alcohol, including price measures, so calls for further punitive action show nothing more than a desire to target consumers and an important Irish indigenous sector.

“This call also comes at a time when alcohol consumption and patterns are changing for the better. Alcohol consumption is down by around 30% in the past 20 years, according to Revenue data, and younger people are leading a trend of more moderate drinking.”

Annual General Meeting of Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

THE Annual General Meeting of IGBF will take place on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Due to circumstances, the IGBF’s last two AGMs were conducted virtually. For this year’s AGM, please contact Gus O’Reilly for further details: gus.oreilly@igbf.ie.

Cormac Healy, Director, Drinks Ireland.

EPA calls on food businesses to sign Food Waste Charter

THE EPA has launched a new Food Waste Charter, calling on all businesses and State Agencies operating across the food supply chain to sign up and commit to reducing food waste. Building on the success of the first charter, which launched in 2017 and focused on the grocery retail sector, this new, more ambitious Charter expands the call to action to every organisation in Ireland’s food supply chain.

Businesses signing up to the Food Waste Charter voluntarily commit to measure their food waste, set targets and take action to reduce food waste, and to report annually on progress.

The EPA’s Director General Laura Burke, Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, and a number of supporting State Agencies and champion food sector businesses signed the Food Waste Charter at an event at Farmleigh House, pledging their commitment to this Government of Ireland initiative.

“With almost 800,000 tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, meeting Ireland’s commitment to halve food waste by 2030 is very challenging, and we don’t have much time,” noted Laura Burke, EPA Director General. “We need to work together; every business along the food supply chain and in the food services sector must play their part to reduce food waste. These businesses are called on to sign the Food Waste Charter and make a commitment to prevent food waste. Reducing food waste is an important climate action, with global food waste accounting for approximately 10% of global GHG emissions. Food waste is also costly, and many food and drink businesses are looking at more efficient production processes and innovation to reduce and prevent food waste. By signing up and actively engaging with the Food Waste Charter, businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.”

Speaking at the event, Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State

with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, said: “The Government is committed to making the circular economy a reality in Ireland and tackling food waste is one of the key steps the food sector must take to help us to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption. Signing up to the Food Waste Charter is a public demonstration of commitment to a collaborative and collective manner to address food waste. Wasting food that we produce and buy is not only a waste of money but a mismanagement of valuable resources in a time when we all need to make a concerted effort to protect and use our resources wisely.”

Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine said: “We all have a role to play in reducing food waste. I call on all stakeholders in the agri-food sector to sign up to the Food Waste Charter and pledge to participate in collective efforts to reduce food waste and food loss and to help ensure there is accuracy and consistency of measurement of food waste across the food supply chain.

“Food is a precious and valuable resource. Reducing food waste helps our farmers, fishers, other food producers and our processors to be more viable and resilient, will help us to achieve our climate action targets and improve the sustainability of the food sector. When we reduce our food waste, we show our respect for the safe and nutritious food that our primary producers and processors work all year round to provide.”

State Agencies play a key role in supporting the food and drink sector in Ireland. Five State Agencies (Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Enterprise Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Teagasc) pledged their commitment to the Food Waste Charter.

Businesses that sign up to the Food Waste Charter commit to measure (monitor and track their food waste), reduce (identify and take at least one target-based action to reduce food waste) and report (annually on progress towards measurable outcomes and achievements) on their food waste. For more information, visit foodwastecharter.ie.

Pictured are (l-r): Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; EPA Director General Laura Burke; and Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, signing the Food Waste Charter.

Ireland surpasses all EU recycling targets in 2022

IN 2022, Repak surpassed all EU mandated recycling targets and delivered on all key compliance, communication and financial objectives. This was supported by the successful implementation of key policies from the EU Circular Economy Package including Eco Fee Modulation and Net Necessary Cost models for all materials.

This news was announced at the publishing of Repak’s annual report, entitled ‘Packaging Today. Reimagined for Tomorrow’, which confirmed that Repak delivered on all key targets and objectives for Members, and continued education and advocacy on behalf of the Members and wider stakeholders.

Despite significant positive progress being made by Repak members and consumers across all recycling targets for key materials, Repak also announced that current projections forecast Ireland’s plastic recycling rate will fall short of the 2025 50% target set by the EU.

“Despite persistently demanding operational conditions in 2022, the Waste Packaging Recycling Sector demonstrated exceptional efficiency and unity, ensuring uninterrupted service and delivering outstanding results across all materials,” noted Séamus Clancy, Repak CEO. “Our collaboration with stakeholders has been instrumental in Repak's continued success, and we extend our gratitude to the Department of the Environment Climate & Communications (DECC), Environmental Protection Agency, Local Authorities, Regional Planning Offices, and the Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities for their invaluable support.

“However, it must be stated that meeting the 2025 plastic packaging recycling targets is going to be particularly challenging,” he continued. “All materials, apart from plastic, are forecasted to hit the 2025 targets. We at Repak continue to implement EU Circular Economy policies, designed to achieve future recycling targets in a financially prudent and innovative manner. Repak members more than pull their weight by funding the recycling of 100% of the packaging they generate in Ireland and an additional 58,649 (8%) tonnes from other producers. All stakeholders across the waste industry sector must continue to act in the national interest and re-double efforts to achieve 2025 and 2030 recycling targets.”

The Repak CEO called on businesses to embrace best practice recycling process

in order to close the plastic recycling gap. Since July 1, 2023, businesses must legally have three bins at their commercial backdoor to help with proper segregation of their packaging and proper use of these bins by all businesses will help close the gap. “We’re also calling for legislative changes: exporters need to be held responsible for 100% of the back door waste they generate and online retailers must start paying for the packaging they place on the Irish market,” Clancy maintained. “Positive legislative changes which hold organisations accountable will improve plastic recycling rates in Ireland and help close the gap to our EU targets.”

In 2022, Repak and Ireland achieved a recycling rate of 63% and recovery rate of 95%.

Repak funded the recycling and recovery of 1,115,042 tonnes of packaging material, surpassing the one million tonnage mark for the fourth time. 759,149 tonnes in total were recycled in 2022, a 6% increase on 2021.

All key materials surpassed current EU recycling targets: Glass at 85% (EU target 60%); Paper/Cardboard 75% (EU target 60%); Plastic 33% (EU target 22.5%); Wood 66% (EU target 15%); Metal 69% (EU target 50%). All materials, apart from plastic, are forecasted to hit the 2025 targets.

Ireland’s overall plastic recycling rate increased from 31% in 2021 to 33% in 2022. Total plastic tonnes recycled in 2022 increased by 7,600 from 2021 to 104,012. It marks the first time that plastic tonnes recycled in Ireland has broken the 100,000-tonnage mark.

An additional €3.4 million was spent on recycling plastic tonnes by Repak in 2022. Overall funding increased by 16% (€4.7 million) to €34 million, reflecting increased volumes of packaging materials being recycled, and increased funding for plastic recycling in Ireland.

During 2022, Repak led a number of key initiatives to ensure that Ireland continues to optimise its recycling of all packaging materials.

The development and Implementation of the Eco Fee Modulation (EFM) and Net Necessary Cost (NNC) models for all materials managed by Repak in 2022 marked a significant step towards promoting sustainable packaging practices. These models were initially introduced for recycled and non-recycled plastics and composites in 2021, but were expanded to include paper, metals,

glass and wood in 2022. The purpose of these fees is to incentivise businesses and individuals to reduce their packaging waste and adopt more sustainable alternatives.

Repak's Packaging Design Guide has been instrumental in promoting environmentally friendly packaging solutions and driving behavioural and design changes among its members. The Plastic Pledge Report serves as a tool to assess the impact of the Plastic Pledge Initiative, tracking progress in reducing plastic waste and adopting sustainable packaging options. Together with the introduction of EFM, these initiatives have fostered a positive shift towards more sustainable packaging practices, contributing to the larger goal of reducing waste and minimising environmental impact.

“We are committed to managing your packaging scheme in an environmentally responsible and cost-efficient manner, especially during these challenging times,” concluded Séamus Clancy. “Applying the principle of circularity is a crucial step towards achieving sustainability. By optimising the use of resources, reducing waste, and promoting recycling and reuse, we can together contribute to a more sustainable and efficient packaging system for Ireland.”

To read Repak’s annual report in full, visit repak.ie

Séamus Clancy, CEO, Repak.

Under the Tree since 1963: Spar celebrate 60th birthday

IN celebration of 60 years of business in Ireland, Spar will plant 20,000 trees this year across six sites nationwide as part of their ‘Spar Team Tree’ initiative. In marking this milestone anniversary, ‘Under the Tree since ’63’, Spar has joined forces with the Tree Council of Ireland in identifying sites in Sligo, Waterford, Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow and Galway. Three of the six sites have already been planted with native Irish trees, while the remainder will be planted later in the year. The aim of the sites is to create mature oak woodlands in 100 years’ time, leaving a lasting legacy on the Irish countryside, just as Spar has done in the 60 years its retailers have been operating in communities throughout Ireland. Pictured are Spar retailers, father and son, Ray and Nathan Clarke, along with the third generation of Clarkes, Mason (11), Carly (9) and Jackson (2) celebrating their own legacy with Spar in one of the plantation sites in Garristown, Co. Dublin, alongside Spar Marketing Manager, Helen Lalor, and Brendan Fitzsimons, CEO of the Tree Council of Ireland.

Musgrave roll out HVO to truck fleet

MUSGRAVE have announced the roll-out of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel across their network of almost 500 vehicles. By 2030, half of the Musgrave fleet will operate on alternative fuel, with an overall ambition for the entire fleet to be net zero by 2040. HVO is a completely fossil-free biofuel made from waste, by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption from the food industry; it can be used to power diesel vehicles and provides up to 90% reduction in greenhouse emissions per litre of fuel used. Musgrave will use one million litres of HVO in 2023 across their fleet and plan to use three million litres of HVO by 2025. “Sustainability is at the heart of our business and all that we do; reducing the carbon footprint of our transport network is a major part of this. We are determined to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our fleet by 50% by 2030, which will pave the way to achieving net zero by 2040,” said Luke Hanlon, Musgrave

2,000 Gaelic footballers for John West Féile Peile na nÓg national finals

NO fewer than 84 club sides, including teams from the US, Europe and the UK, took part in the John West Féile Peile na nÓg National Finals 2023 across 10 venues in Connacht on July 1. The event, which has grown to become one of the biggest underage sporting events in Europe, saw 2,000 Gaelic footballers descend on the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence at Bekan, County Mayo, as well as MacHale Park, Castlebar, and Castlebar Mitchells. Matches were also played at Páirc Seán McDiarmada and Kiltoghert in Co. Leitrim; Tuam, Claregalway and Clonberne in Co. Galway and Castlerea and Tubbercurry in counties Roscommon and Sligo. Meanwhile, 136 teams, comprising 3,000 players, took part in John West Féile na nGael regional finals at 17 venues across Ireland for teams outside the top division on the same day. “John West is passionate about promoting easy and tasty natural nutrition and the company engages with Irish families through Féile,” said John West Ireland Head of Marketing, Anne-Claire Monde. Pictured are Grace Tolster of Simonstown Gaels GFC, Navan, with John West Féile 2023 Ambassador and All-Ireland winning captain Shauna Ennis of Meath at Croke Park.

Two new National Lottery millionaires

THE National Lottery have announced the two winning locations of the June 17 shared Lotto jackpot which resulted in two players scooping €6,373,878 each. The Westmeath winner scooped their life-changing share after purchasing their ticket at the Tuthills store at the Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone, while the Donegal player won their €6,373,878 amount after purchasing their ticket at McCarrons Village Shop at Quigleys Point. Pictured are Bernie Coen, Abigail Kamphambale (ticket seller) and Joe Callinan, Manager from Tuthills, Golden Island Shopping Centre, Athlone, with Sara Orr, Simon Reenan and Donna Broderick from the National Lottery.

Lidl Ireland’s parcel partnership

LIDL Ireland have joined forces with an innovative ‘out of home’ selfservice parcel locker provider to make parcel lockers available to customers, offering them the convenience of picking up or returning their online purchases, at the same time as their regular shop. The strategic partnership with parcel locker company OOHPod and Lidl Ireland will see Lidl roll-out the lockers to stores nationwide in the months ahead, simplifying online shopping for customers. The lockers are open 24/7, providing shoppers with added peace of mind by offering the option to have their purchases dropped safely and securely ‘out of home’ to avoid the risk of missed deliveries. Pictured are Avril O’Hehir, Chief Administration Officer at Lidl Ireland, and John Tuohy, CEO of OOHPod.

Chief Supply Chain Officer, pictured with Julie Dorel, Head of Communications, and Owen Keogh, Head of Sustainability.

Payzone to sponsor Bleeper bikes across Dublin

PAYZONE have announced a new sponsorship agreement with Bleeper, Ireland’s first dockless bike-sharing service. The agreement will see Payzone sponsor 800 of Bleeper’s public bikes operated in Dublin City, Fingal and Dun LaoghaireRathdown County Councils. The announcement comes ahead of further moves planned by Payzone to expand their current range of services within their popular Parking application. This will include a range of services which will make it easier for the travelling public to go about their daily lives, using one single application, regardless of how they commute, whether by car, bus, rail, taxi, bike, scooter or on foot. Pictured are Jim Deignan, CEO of Payzone, Hugh Cooney, Founder & CEO of Bleeper, and Ciara Donovan, Product OwnerParking Tag at Payzone Ireland, in Dublin docklands with the newly branded Bleeper bikes.

Five Irish suppliers partner with Musgrave MarketPlace

MUSGRAVE MarketPlace have announced five new partners following the first round of their Green Shoots programme. In collaboration with Bord Bia, the Dragons Den style initiative invited pitches from local Irish businesses with the opportunity for their product to be promoted and sold across Musgrave MarketPlace branches and online platforms. Companies presented to a panel of foodservice experts spanning the areas of culinary, purchasing, sales and marketing, with five providers selected: Vanilla Bean Patisserie in Cavan, Uneek Functional Cheese Company from Limerick, West Cork natives The Cultured Food Company and Spice of Life, as well as Builin Blasta from Galway. The businesses will now be listed in three Musgrave Marketplace branches as well as online. There will be the opportunity to host monthly sampling events in-branch and an extensive promotional campaign will now begin across Musgrave Marketplace social media and digital platforms, as well as in foodservice brochures. Desi Derby, Marketing Director Musgrave Wholesale Partners, is pictured with Vincent O’Gorman and Geraldine Conway from The Uneek Functional Cheese Company; Heather Connolly from Builín Blasta; Denis O’Driscoll and Moira Daly from Spice O’Life; and Mark Moriarty, Trading Director, Musgrave Wholesale Partners.

Sodexo employee wins inaugural Paula Mee Award

JOHN Core, Culinary Nutrition Lead and Group Business Manager with catering and workplace services provider Sodexo Ireland, has won the inaugural Paula Mee Applied Culinary Nutrition Memorial Award from TU Dublin. It was established earlier this year by the university’s School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology in memory of Paula, a well-known author and lecturer at the school, who was one of Ireland’s most prominent dieticians and food experts for the past two decades. It is only open to graduates, John Core among them, of the Master of Culinary Arts Applied Nutrition programme delivered on the university’s Tallaght Campus. John is pictured with Finola and Sandra Mee, two of Paula’s sisters, and Annette Sweeney, senior lecturer in Culinary Arts at TU Dublin.

Tallaght school wins GIY and SuperValu’s Let’s Grow initiative

JUST before the doors of school closed for the summer break, the pupils at Solas Chríost in Tallaght were given the ultimate surprise with the arrival of SuperValu and the GIY team to announce that the class are the national winner of the 2023 SuperValu Let’s Grow initiative. Pictured are Esmee Clarke, Kendrick Behekizulu, Lilly Wilson and Matthew O’Reilly with SuperValu Fortunestown owner Alan Jordan (left) and Michael Kelly, Founder of GIY.

Kilmallock store sells Daily Million €1 million winner

STAFF at Ryan’s Supervalu on Sarsfield Street in Killmallock, Co. Limerick, were thrilled to hear that their store sold the winning €1 million ticket in the 9pm Daily Million draw on Friday, June 30. The win marked the sixth Daily Million top prize win of 2023, following wins by players in Dublin, Tipperary, Donegal and Kildare. “We’re a busy shop in town with about 60 of us working here so it’s a great boost for us all. We have lots of regular locals who come into us too so I’m sure they’ll be delighted to hear we sold a winner as it’s positive news for the community,” revealed store manager Gareth Davies, pictured with Liam Ryan, store owner of Ryan’s SuperValu, with staff members Catriona Kelly, Michelle McGuire, Conor Finn, Roisin Howard, Joe Hay, and Mary Grace, Lotto Field Sales Representative.

SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Raspberries return

Hugo Keenan revealed as Optimum Nutrition ambassador

LEINSTER and Ireland rugby full-back Hugo Keenan has been revealed as a new ambassador for leading sports nutrition brand Optimum Nutrition, part of the Glanbia Performance Nutrition brand family. Hugo joins the Optimum Nutrition elite team, which includes rugby player Marcus Smith and Irish athletes Emma Duggan, Sean Finn and Nadia Power. Optimum Nutrition is the Performance Nutrition partner of Leinster Rugby, providing its Elite Series product range and nutritional guidance to both men’s and women’s Senior Leinster Rugby squads. “With Optimum Nutrition as a partner, my Leinster Rugby teammates and I know we will be provided with the very best nutrition products for elite athletes, playing a significant role in support of our goals each season,” said Hugo.

SENIOR grower Denis Kenny is pictured at Keelings as SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Raspberries return to add flavour and colour to desserts this summer season. Grown from the premium Maravilla raspberry variety, which has been recognised internationally for its taste and quality, the Signature Tastes Raspberries are full of flavour to tantalise tastebuds this summer. The berries are firm, have a consistent taste and feel, and are quite large with a lengthy shelf-life. They don’t tend to leak juice or break down when packed into punnets. With a strong flavour, the berry is attractive to customers and there is a good balance between sugar and acid.

Pepco launch Tralee store

PEPCO are celebrating the launch of their seventh Irish store in Tralee, Co. Kerry, which opened on Saturday, July 15, treating the first 50 lucky customers to a golden ticket worth up to €100 to spend as they please in the new store. The latest opening comes after Dealz completely revamped six of their Irish stores, giving them top-to-bottom makeovers that converted them to the Pepco brand, creating an additional 60 jobs. Pepco, which has over 4,000 stores across 19 European countries, is a one-stop shop for food, health & beauty, fashion, homewares, toys and key household needs. “We’re delighted at the initial reaction to our Pepco stores in Ireland and we’re extremely excited to be opening our newest Pepco store in Tralee, Co. Kerry, after a top-tobottom refurbishment and extension,” noted Olivia McLoughlin, Trading Country Operations Manager for both Pepco and Dealz in Ireland.

Around Noon secure M&S own label supplier approval

AROUND Noon, the award-winning food-to-go manufacturer, have secured much-coveted M&S own label supplier status in a major endorsement of the company’s commitment to quality from one of the most trusted brands on the high street. It comes as the Newry firm announces significant new investments in readiness to grow their business, including the purchase of new equipment, upgrades to their facilities and the creation of new management positions, including a new Quality Manager and an NPD Manager. The accreditation sees Around Noon supply a range of own label products to M&S stores on the island of Ireland, increasing the range of the supermarket retailer’s sandwich offering. Showcasing the M&S own label range from Around Noon are Eddie Murphy, M&S Trading Director for Ireland & Northern Ireland (centre) with Around Noon’s NPD Manager, Victoria Laverty (left) and Sales Director, Philip Morgan (right).

Balbriggan store sells €3.9 million Lotto ticket

THERE were celebrations aplenty in Balbriggan in early July as Pinewood Stores was announced as the selling location for the July 8 winning Lotto jackpot ticket worth €3,931,066. “The store is situated in the heart of a local community here in Balbriggan so it’s lovely to think that one of our regulars may have had a huge win over the weekend. I’d imagine there were huge celebrations on Saturday night after the draw. It’s a massive amount to win so I am delighted for the winner. I wish them all the very best and hope they enjoy their big win,” noted store owner David Fitzgibbon, pictured (centre right) with staff member Joey Kelly (centre left), and David Woods and Sarah Orr from the National Lottery.

Don’t get left in the dark

From September 2023, the EU will phase out fluorescent lighting. This may directly affect your business, so why not beat the rush and apply for a fully funded lighting upgrade from Energia? You can get your old fluorescent lighting replaced, while also reducing your lighting consumption by up to 80%. We’ll make it easy by managing the entire process from start to finish.

Find out more at energia.ie/lighting

Nescafé partners with Aero for new frothy coffee

NESCAFÉ Gold has teamed up with one of the best-loved confectionery brands, Aero, to create the brand new, limitededition Nescafé Gold Golden Honeycomb Aero Mocha. Inspired by the Aero Golden Honeycomb sharing block, this delicious coffee shop style mocha is made using fresh milk with smooth drinking chocolate and notes of golden honeycomb and has 79 calories per mug. “We are beyond excited to announce this partnership between two of our most beloved brands, Nescafé Gold and Aero,” noted Sinead Duffin, Country Category Manager for Coffee at Nestlé Ireland. “The Nescafé Gold Frothy Coffee and Aero collaboration combines the products we know Irish fans love, quality frothy coffee and a delicious golden honeycomb flavour chocolate, to create a bubbly and indulgent coffee treat. This delicious new Golden Honeycomb Mocha is bound to be a crowd-pleaser and we can’t wait for everyone to try it!”

M&S and Applegreen unveil pilot Click and Collect service

MARKS & Spencer and Applegreen have announced a pilot of M&S Click & Collect in four Applegreen stores, in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Kinsealy, Co. Dublin, Mountgorry, Co. Dublin, and at the M11 service at Cullenmore, Co. Wicklow. Shoppers will now have the option to collect orders placed online at M&S.ie free of charge at any one of the four trial Applegreen locations, following the successful launch in recent months of M&S food at five Applegreen stores across Ireland. Applegreen Ireland Managing Director Fiona Mathews said: “This is the next phase of our partnership with M&S, which has been well received by our customers to date. Constantly offering more choice is key to Applegreen’ s operations, and we are confident that this new Click and Collect service will provide something new to the market that customers from both Applegreen and M&S will really love.” Pictured are Eddie Murphy, M&S Trading Director; Seamus Stapleton, Applegreen ROI Commercial Director; and Fiona Matthews, Applegreen ROI Managing Director; at Applegreen Mountgorry in Swords, Co. Dublin.

Tesco Ireland trial new fresh meat packaging

TESCO Ireland have unveiled plans to trial new meat packaging on their mince products which will help reduce plastic use by 68%. The retailer will replace their existing Tesco own-brand mince packaging with a flow wrap alternative known as a ‘pillow pack’, which ensures the product is kept intact without compromising on quality or taste. It will replace the current plastic tray and film lid, starting with the Tesco Irish lean Steak Mince 5% fat, 470g. “This new pillow pack packaging uses 68% less plastic and guarantees the same high-quality look, taste and feel that our customers know and expect from us,” revealed John Brennan, Tesco Ireland Fresh Food Category Director. “The new packs will hit the shelves in July and will be used on minced meat products. The plastic reduction element is significant and has the potential to save around 100 tonnes of plastic each year, if the trial is rolled out across all mince product lines.”

Ten years of a good tipple

GRAHAM Norton and Invivo are celebrating 10 years of a partnership that has produced an award winning wine and spirits range. With more than 15 million bottles of Graham Norton wine sold over the past decade and 153 glasses of Graham Norton wines enjoyed every minute around the world (that’s nearly three glasses every second), the renowned wine and spirits brand is a true Irish-Kiwi success story. This year, Graham and the Invivo team, along with SuperValu’s wine expert Kevin O’Callaghan,

village of Ahakista, near Graham’s

Sandwich still a school lunchbox staple

IT’S confirmed; the trusty sandwich is a staple in the school lunchbox right across Ireland. According to new research as part of the national Healthy Heroes School Programme in association with the Irish Bread Bakers Association (IBBA), 42% of adults with children in primary or secondary school include a sandwich in their child’s lunchbox every single day, with a third (33%) making it a ham and cheese. With a previous study from the IBBA showing that a toasted ham and cheese is the nation’s favourite sandwich, it’s clear that the love affair continues for this ingredient combo! Developed by teachers and dieticians, Healthy Heroes is one of Ireland’s most popular school nutrition programmes. Not only is the ritual of the lunchbox sandwich alive and well, the findings also show that almost a quarter (23%) of adults with school-aged children add an extra sandwich to their child's lunchbox on days that are particularly busy with physical activities. For more information, visit www.healthyheroes.ie

travelled to Arundel’s By The Pier in the

West Cork home-town, to taste and select the new 2023 blend of GN Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Graham is pictured with Rob Cameron, Invivo Wines (left), SuperValu Wine Expert Kevin O’Callaghan (second left), and Tim Lightbourne, Invivo Wines (right).

Getting inside the consumer’s headspace?

A Dublin firm is using cutting-edge technology to get inside the shopper journey, measuring responses from the brain, the eyes, the facial expressions and the skin, to ascertain how consumers respond to brands in-store, from packaging to promotion. Seán Higgins, MD of Future Proof Insights, explains the technology behind the insights.

DUBLIN-based Future Proof Insights describe themselves on their website as a “neuromarketing agency” and a “behavioural science consultancy”, which all sounds like something from a sci-fi novel but has very real effects in the world of grocery retailing in particular. Essentially, they utilise cutting edge technology to carry out tailored research studies that reveal the subconscious signals our bodies produce along the path to purchase.

“We're a consumer neuroscience research agency, so if you take the science out of it, what we're interested in doing is looking at the subconscious ‘tells’ that our brains and bodies give to help understand human behaviour and decision making,” explains Seán Higgins, Managing Director, Future Proof Insights. “When you ask people questions, it's not necessarily that they're lying or that they won't tell you the truth. Sometimes, they can't tell the truth; it could be the case that they're having a difficulty in articulating themselves; it might be that you’ve asked them something a little sensitive. It might be the point that as humans we can only aggregate and summarise an experience.”

Essentially, the gap between what people say they do and what they actually do, can sometimes be vast. We all want to be good corporate citizens and do the right thing and we like to think that for the most part, we do. However, our bodies and our brains often tell a different story.

Future Proof Insights looked at all these factors and decided: there has to be a better way to conduct research. Essentially, Higgins points out, the human brain is over-worked and over-stimulated. The brain, he explains, consumes around 20%

of our daily energy reserves, so its default position is to seek least-effort solutions to decision making. Additionally, it has been shown that the brain can process roughly 11 million bits of information per second, but our conscious mind can only process 50. “So you've got a serious difference between what’s happening around us, and what we’re consciously aware of happening around us,” he smiles. “Every day we make an average of 30,000 decisions, which range from big, deliberate decisions that you really consciously think about, right down to the next time you press your foot on the accelerator or the next step you take.”

So our brains are over-worked; we don’t have the luxury of being economical about every decision we make, we need a faster way to get things done, and so as part of our evolution, we have developed a subconscious mind which allows us to boil down decisions to the bare minimum: “We have a combination of biases, associations, heuristics and rules that are hard-coded into a subconscious that allows us to just make split-second decisions and move on with our lives.”

Allowing us into the shopper journey

When you move into the retail context, the scale of decision-making really ramps up, Higgins explains, and the work of Future Proof Insights is about understanding how our brains react to various stimuli in-store and all along the shopper journey.

“We use a combination of methods that measure directly from the brain, the eyes, the facial expressions and skin and they all tell very different stories about the lived experience of a consumer, and help quantify

the effectiveness of different stimuli on that customer journey,” he explains. “A lot of the measures that are used at the moment are very much focused on the ‘what’ of the customer journey or the ‘what’ of consumer behaviour: What did they buy? What did they put in their basket? Where did they click on the website? But what we're doing is explaining the ‘why’, by reverseengineering that journey and stepping through it with the consumer, going to the shop with the consumer, using eye tracking glasses to understand where they look as they navigate through the aisles or in a digital sense how they navigate through the online store.”

Some of their work has been to evaluate planograms before they go live in-store, so the client gets direct insights into how the consumer interacts with the category: “We're looking to help unpack human behaviour and lay it out in in front of our clients and help them explain how and why a consumer selected their product over another and vice-versa.”

Future Proof Insights have developed five key metrics that help model the brain activity of a consumer:

Eye-tracking glasses allow us to understand where shoppers look as they navigate through the aisles.

• Engagement: the cognitive involvement or attention someone applies to a given task or experience.

• Emotion: a measure of the strength or intensity of emotional arousal that a stimulus or experience creates within a person.

• Desire: quantifies approach and avoidance behaviours - we are drawn to experiences we want and avoid offputting experiences.

• Memorisation: a measure of brain activity linked to the encoding and storing of information within the brain.

• Impact: quantifies the brain activity linked to peaks in emotional intensity and long-term memory encoding, “like how you remember a twist in a movie or the last-minute winner in a game of football,” explains Higgins. “These things stick in your long-term memory because they are so emotionally relevant that your brain says ‘keep this; this is emotionally relevant, so this is important’.”

The MD describes these metrics as “different levers of experience, which all work alongside one another. Something

could be emotionally intense and engaging but off-putting. Our work allows us to plot these data points together to understand what's actually going on and how people experience things, to sometimes explain what can be complex emotional states and then put them in the context of a retail setting.”

He cites the example of someone with a specific shopping task versus another shopper who is simply browsing and the differences observed in these shoppers’ behaviour. “Their eyes work in a very different way,” Higgins notes. “Their ‘gaze maps’ look completely different, so the way their brain works is naturally different as well, and that allows us to determine how effective a product is at being located for a casual shopper versus someone who has a very specific need to get a certain product within a category. It's all context dependent, but it enables us to help our clients frame research projects that meet what they're trying to discover.”

Future Proof Insights can tailor their research in other areas, he explains, such as ‘claims testing’, whereby they can measure the emotional response of consumers to on-pack product claims. “We

can start to understand how these things actually resonate with the consumer, and what's the right messaging to include on the packaging. Equally as important, what do we need to remove? Is there too much messaging?” Higgins states, stressing that this technology can equally apply to advertising, shelf design, activation materials and PoS materials. “What we offer is very diverse and flexible and can be tailored to meet client needs and answer their questions, as opposed to being fixed to a product and trying to put a square peg in a round hole,” he says.

Incremental improvements at scale

In the grocery sector, margins are notoriously small, and even the slightest change can make a big difference. “Where we work our best is for organisations who are looking to make incremental improvements at scale on really competitive margins. The premise is to help figure out which products grab people’s attention in an involuntary way. Our belief is that if you make something very easy for people, they're going to do it, so you need to ensure a product is easy to find, easy to pick up, and repeat.”

The Retail News Interview

Humans, Higgins smiles, are “irrational when it comes to money”. But Future Proof Insights allow their clients to create testing experiences that help people to measure the effectiveness of a price promotion, whether that is a BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free), a coupon system or some other promotional campaign.

“We can put quantifiable metrics on irrationality,” he insists, arguing that their system is far more reliable than a survey because human beings, by our nature, realise that they are being evaluated and will try to give the ‘right’ answer or even to ‘game’ the system. “When you measure someone's involuntary response, which can be a more primitive response, versus their stated response, they are often not very congruent. We believe that instantaneous response is more predictive of people's actual behaviour rather than what they say.”

The truth about sustainability?

One area where Future Proof Insights really hit headlines, including here in Retail News, in recent months was their study into sustainability, which found, controversially, that consumers don’t care about

sustainability as much as they say they do.

“It's not that sustainability isn't important,” Higgins insists. But what we found was that people are so busy, they’re tired, perhaps they’re coming home from work and you're then looking for consumers to make an in-store evaluation on sustainability. You’re creating extra mental workload whereby consumers have to evaluate is this claim actually valid? Will the product live up to their claim? Who's going to actually benefit from this in the long run? Will it actually meet my need because I've probably never used this variation? There are a lot of steps in that process and to expect it to happen in an instantaneous decision is ambitious.

“People are consciously prosustainability but when it comes to grocery shopping, it's typically not something that factors into the buying process. So why are we actually talking about sustainability in our advertising and promotional material, if it's not a right fit, which we found was the case for commodity goods. Sustainability messaging, however, had a positive impact for more luxury brands: if you’re going to buy a car and you're already spending €2050k, what's an extra €500 on making sure

it is more environmentally friendly. It fits more because you allow more time for the context of sustainability in those purchases compared to the split-second decisions that typically happen in a grocery setting.”

Future Proof Insights carried out a month-long study using EEG, Eye Tracking and Facial Expression Analysis to test the impact of 30 messages from 30 brands/ products, categorised into three message types: Traditional Creative & Promotional, Sustainability, and Purpose Driven for both commodity and luxury goods.

Their research found that traditional and creative messaging is over 10 times more effective than sustainability messaging at driving purchase intent; the principle is that we approach what we want and avoid what we find off-putting. While sustainable messages were effective in general at driving approach behaviours, the benefits were marginal and costs too high to justify, relative to traditional creative approaches, when it came to commodity goods.

“The key take-away would be that it's probably better bang for your buck for brands to be looking in the more traditional, creative space for their advertising and

Future Proof Insights use EEG, Eye Tracking and Facial Expression Analysis to test the impact of messaging from various brands/products.

perhaps, to look towards supply chain improvements rather than communications aspects to achieve your sustainability goals, as opposed to pushing the messaging, which really expects the consumer to drive the sustainability agenda.”

The impact of tech

For a company using cutting edge technology to measure our bodily responses, Higgins is in a good position to evaluate how emerging technologies and artificial intelligence will change the way we shop and maybe the way we market goods to shoppers.

“We’re already using AI within what we do,” he admits. “It's more of an enabler within the service we offer as opposed to something that is going to fundamentally change our business model. AI can enhance

the way we deliver insight and help understand shopper behaviour, including how we analyse our database. Where it really helps is in terms of automating our analysis and interpretation load to report back to clients, so we can give more granular and scalable insights, far beyond what a person could manage.”

He believes that in terms of shoppers, AI-assisted shopping will be where big changes will come in the short to medium-term. “This could be a case of going to a retailer and having personal recommendations provided to you by a Generative-AI personal assistant. For example, if you go to a grocery retailer’s website and rather than it pushing the ‘deals of the week’, it's a more personalised, interactive basis that understands your shopping behaviour and perhaps speaks to you in a in a humanised way. So rather than receiving a dashboard on your spending like you might get from a financial provider, the retailer will provide that information in an AI enabled manner so I see it as being almost like an assistive technology for shoppers. For retailers and brands who go down that route, it's going to basically work alongside the shopper to enhance the experience for your customer. If I want to make Tacos this weekend, but I don’t know the ingredients, I can ask the store’s AI, and get a list. Similarly, if I have specific dietary requirements or macro targets, the AI can help me pick exactly what I want, how much I need to buy and tell me how much it costs. In an era where data privacy is top of mind, I think this more assistive approach

will help change the perception around personalisation.”

He warns, however, that monitoring any AI technology will be very important going forward. “AI regulation is so prevalent, and it’s needed because of the power of what AI can do, but I believe that once the appropriate regulation is in place, we will see these sorts of technologies bring genuine value to shoppers, to provide them with what they want and need with the objective of enhancing the shopper experience in a meaningful way. At the moment, there’s a perception that data is being used to push certain products at us, but what if it was used in a more assistive, non-invasive way? The suggestions only come because the consumer requests it, so it seems like a much stronger value exchange. It’s not all that different from what is being done already from a data perspective, so I think the improvements will essentially be an enhancement of where we are as opposed to something completely ground-breaking.”

However, he cites examples from other non-grocery retailers, such as Ikea allowing online customers to virtually place a product in their room, or certain DIY providers who enable customers to virtually change the colours of their walls: “They're all AI- enabled tools so there's a lot of technology already there but I think they're just going to become more mainstream, less cost intensive and more accessible from the brand side and then more assistive from the consumer’s perspective.”

Where we work our best is for organisations who are looking to make incremental improvements at scale on really competitive margins. The premise is to help figure out which products grab people’s attention in an involuntary way. Our belief is that if you make something very easy for people, they're going to do it, so you need to ensure a product is easy to find, easy to pick up, and repeat.

Seán Higgins is pictured addressing delegates at the recent TU Dublin Retail Symposium.

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

A busy summer for the IGBF

Three massive events during June raised an impressive €160,000 for the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund.

JUNE was a hugely important month for the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund (IGBF), with three massive events raising a whopping €160,000 for the charity fund: the IGBF President’s Summer Fundraiser, the Grocers Fun Run and the Tour de Grocer cycling event.

The most recent event saw up to a thousand members of the retail trade turning out in their finery at Leopardstown Racecourse on Thursday, June 22, for the IGBF President’s Summer Fundraiser. Over €90,000 was raised on the day, thanks to the generosity of key sponsors Manor, ABP, Heinz, General Mills, Bulmers, Diageo, Dole, Nestle, Coca Cola, and Love Irish Food, as well as the hundreds of well-known FMCG suppliers who bought tickets for their colleagues and teams.

Guests enjoyed an exciting evening of racing and live music in the warm sunshine, and a wide variety of great quality food and drink was served up to the buzzing crowd.

“Throughout my career in the industry, the IGBF has been an integral part of the retail landscape, providing essential help to those in need,” revealed Joe Manning, Tesco Ireland Commercial Director and IGBF President of Appeals.

“I am so pleased that so many of our colleagues from across the trade supported this great event at Leopardstown. Thanks to their generosity, we managed to raise in excess of €90,000 which we are thrilled about.”

As well as the racing and live music, there was a Best Dressed Person Competition, with the first prize winner receiving a trip to New York. There was wide interest in the

Pictured at the IGBF President’s Summer Fundraiser at Leopardstown Racecourse are Joe Manning, Tesco Ireland Commercial Director and IGBF President of Appeals, and Frances Higgins, Group Head of Promotions, BWG Foods and IGBF Chairperson.

Joe Manning presents Kathryn Roche from Irish Country Meats, Carlow, with the prize of a trip to New York as winner of the Best Dressed Person Competition at the IGBF President’s Summer Fundraiser.

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

Almost 1,000 participants braved the elements for the IGBF Fun Run

competition, and the winner on the night was Kathryn Roche from Irish Country Meats, Carlow.

IGBF Chairperson Frances Higgins said, “It really was wonderful to see such great support for our summer gathering. As part of our calendar of events, this

event will go a long way towards our goal of raising funds to help support the individuals and families who need us.”

IGBF Fun Run

Leopardstown Racecourse was also the venue for the IGBF Fun Run on

Saturday, June 17. The strategic shift to Leopardstown Racecourse allowed for greater flexibility, and maximised funds, directly benefiting the IGBF charity and its beneficiaries.

With a 5k and a 10k race, along with a kids race, the event attracted just under 1,000 runners of diverse skill levels. Regardless of the rain, the determined participants embraced the challenge, creating an encouraging atmosphere that was infectious and permeated the venue.

Seasoned athletes and enthusiastic newcomers alike braved the elements and embraced the opportunity to push their limits, while also embracing the spirit of camaraderie, while it also proved a hugely popular draw for families, with plenty of parents running alongside their children.

The Aldi team emerged as corporate champions, thanks to a winning combination of exceptional teamwork and unwavering determination, and they will doubtless attempt to defend their title in 2024.

The success of the IGBF Fun Run would not have been possible without the unwavering support and generosity of its valued sponsors, including Keeling’s, the National Lottery, FMI and Yoplait.

Tour De Grocers Cycle Challenge

June 14 and 15 saw the return of the IGBF

at Leopardstown Racecourse.

The Aldi Ireland team were winners of the corporate event at the IGBF Fun Run.

Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund

‘Tour De Grocers Cycle’, which raised in excess of €50,000 for the Fund. The two-day event began at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, early on Wednesday, June 14, with participants cycling 300km over the two days, in an event that was once again organised by Kevin Keating, Managing Director of Tennant & Ruttle and former IGBF President of Appeals. The main sponsor for the Tour de Grocer event was Barilla.

The IGBF: a legacy of compassion and support

Established in the early 1960s, the Irish Grocers Benevolent Fund is a registered charity that provides financial assistance for people in the retail and grocer sectors who have fallen on difficult times because of ill health, unemployment or bereavement. This year marks 60 years since the fund was established, and in that time, it has helped to improve the lives of hundreds of individuals and families.

Indeed, the Fund has become a beacon of hope for those facing hardship in the retail industry and beyond. The charity assists up to 200 families at any one time and contributes in the region of €500,000 annually in support. This support takes the form of monthly, quarterly or annual annuities, as well as crisis grants where appropriate.

For more information, visit www.igbf.ie

The IGBF ‘Tour De Grocers Cycle’ raised in excess of € 50,000 for the IGBF.

Despite the rain, the IGBF Fun Run was a great success.

Many parents and kids took part in the IGBF Fun Run.

This year’s IGBF ‘Tour De Grocers Cycle’ took place on June 14 and 15.

Participants in the IGBF ‘Tour De Grocers Cycle’ undertook a gruelling 300km cycle over two days.

Spar: support through thick and thin

MARY Forde’s Spar store on Main Street in Tallow, Co. Waterford, was extensively damaged by a fire in November 2022. Smoke damage was so significant that the interior of the shop had to be gutted and Mary was left staring at four empty walls, that had previously been filled with the sights and sounds of a busy local shop. Although the damage was very significant, not once did Mary even consider closing the business, especially given the extraordinary support she was receiving from Spar, her symbol group partner.

The Forde family have had a retail presence in Tallow for more than a century. Mary’s grand-uncle, Paddy Forde opened the business back in 1911, establishing a local shop with a bakery, and the business has thrived since. Mary’s father, John Forde, was the kind of progressive retailer that helped standards in the convenience grocery retail sector in Ireland to soar, and was one of the first Irish grocers to join the then brand new Spar group some 60 years ago, back in 1963, the year the group began opening shops in Ireland for the first time.

Growing up on the shop-floor

As with the children of many shop-owners, Mary was introduced to the business at a relatively young age, helping her Dad out, learning how the business ran and developing a love for running a local shop. She worked with her Dad until 1999, when she took over the shop. At that stage, Forde’s had been trading ‘Under The Tree’ for well over three decades and Mary was very happy to continue working with the symbol group partner.

“Spar have always been great to work with,” she tells Retail News “In 2016, we made a significant investment in a revamp of the shop, which went extremely well and really moved the shop to another level. We traded very successfully for a number of years until the pandemic started. I have always found Spar great to work with, but during a crisis like the pandemic, we really came to appreciate just how hard the group works to support its retail partners.”

Describing the pandemic as “a truly extraordinary event”, Mary explains how it “transformed the way the shop functioned in the community, making us one of the only places people could engage in even the most basic social actions and as a frontline business, it was one of the only places our customers could stock up on vital supplies. Right from the outset of the pandemic, Spar were fantastic, providing support and advice at a time when that was exactly what we all needed. The pandemic made our relationship with our customers closer than it had ever been and we would not have been able to do that without the constant support and attention we received from Spar.”

Incredible support

With the business having survived a global pandemic, and emerging stronger than it had been before the event, Mary and her staff were

Mary Forde’s Spar store in Tallow, Co. Waterford, has been part of the Spar Group since its inception in Ireland in 1963.

Without the support of Spar, Mary believes it would not have survived a fire last November.

Mary Forde, store owner, inside her Spar store on Main Street, Tallow, Co. Waterford.

looking forward to a period of relative calm, but that calm was shattered on a November night last year when fire struck the shop and devastated the interior of the building. Once again, her symbol group partner proved an invaluable source of strength and support for Mary and her business.

“I was in shock,” she remembers. “The fire was not large enough to damage the structure of the building but the smoke damage meant that nothing inside the shop was salvageable. I have to say that from the moment he learned about the fire, Roy O’Mahony [Retails Operations Advisor, Spar] was just amazing. He stepped up and provided incredible support to us. We had put in a lot of time and investment in 2016 to update the shop and all that hard work was undone in just one night. But I never felt I was facing this alone, because I was not. The entire team at Spar were ready to help us.”

The shop was closed from November of 2022 until May of 2023 to allow for repairs and revamp. Since reopening, business has been extremely busy. “While we had relatively recently revamped the shop, this event gave us the opportunity to bring the shop bang up-to-date with the latest image and introduce a real ‘Wow’ factor,”

Fact File:

Owner: Mary Forde

Location: Main Street, Tallow, Co. Waterford

Size: 1,400 square feet retail space

No. of Staff: 9, full time & part time

Opening Hours: 07:00-21:00, Monday-Saturday; 08:00-20:00, Sunday

Mary explains. “Our customers were absolutely delighted to have their shop open again and they were stunned by how good the new shop looks.”

Loyal and dedicated staff Mary also pays tribute to the hard work, loyalty and dedication of their staff, who were delighted to return to work when the shop re-opened: ”We have extremely good staff working with us, with Una and Sharon even helping out during the revamp process. This was an extremely difficult event for us to come through, and I really do believe that we could not have survived this if we had been fully independent. It was the strength of our partner and all the team at Spar that helped us survive this challenge and with their support, we are looking to keep serving the people of Tallow for years to come.”

The Tallow store is one of the oldest operating Spar shops on the island. The partnership between Spar and the Forde family has been a successful one for six decades, and it looks set to continue for years to come.

Mary Forde paid tribute to her loyal and hard-working staff.

The Tallow store has been extremely busy since reopening in May 2023.

Spar Tallow now has a real ‘Wow’ factor with the group’s modern new look.

The new season starts here!

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024, the only official Premier League trading cards, are on sale from August 3.

PANINI’S Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game is back for the 2023/24 season, bigger, better, and more exciting than ever! Last year’s collection saw an unprecedented +100% growth in RSV year on year, making it the number one selling collection in the market.

Benefitting from a full re-design, the collection features loads of fresh new card categories, amazing new materials and even more real autographs for collectors to chase. For fans of rare cards, they have created stunning new sub-sets and increased the product lines featuring Limited Edition cards. Many Limited Edition cards feature printed and real autographs, from both current players and Premier League legends. The increasingly popular and sought-after Golden Baller cards have also been taken to a whole new level this season, with a new material and finish that will make them more desirable than ever for collectors!

Explosive marketing campaign

Premier League Adrenalyn XL 2024 hits shelves on August 3, supported with an explosive and diverse marketing campaign. Please ensure you have sufficient stock in store of all lines.

Key dates:

13, via The Irish Sun and on September 23 and 24 across Irish Reach titles.

• Heavyweight digital media campaign, including You Tube, Video On Demand and TikTok advertising.

• Working with the Premier League, footballers and influencers, including a continued partnership with Declan Rice.

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game features loads of fresh new card categories, amazing new materials and even more real autographs for collectors to chase.

the 2023-24 season.

• Two national newspaper campaigns featuring a free packet pick-up at retail on Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August

• Covermounting packets across a large proportion of football titles, with unique content specifically on Strike-It! magazine.

• Sampling of products through extensive grassroots club partnerships and community teams.

Point of Sale packs will be sent out to top-selling independents, containing a branded envelope, window poster and shelf talker to help promote sale. For any more information or wider FSDU/POS requirements, email rsmith@panini.co.uk.

Panini’s Premier League Adrenalyn XL Official Trading Card Game has had a full redesign for

Retail Technology: Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI: what it means for retail?

Mathew

Partner at Lewis Silkin Ireland, examines the issue of generative AI and identifies the opportunities and risks for retailers and consumers.

ISAAC Asimov, the futurist / sci-fi writer, once remarked: “You don’t need to predict a future. You just need to create one – a good future, a useful future. Better to predict a good future than to make a bad one.”

It would be hard to disagree. We are all capable of imagining our version of a ‘good future’ and life-enhancing conveniences that might, one day, be deliverable through technological advancement. While some of those imaginings may seem out of reach based on today’s technology, others may feel within touching distance. Aspiration is certainly a compelling catalyst for innovation and for innovation to succeed, it generally needs to deliver more than just good purpose. Although usefulness lies at the heart of all good innovation - and this essential element is no less important when contemplating the promise of a world enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) - it

is only where those innovations make qualitative improvements to our lives that we really enter the realm of the ‘good future’.

Generative AI is increasingly looked at as a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionise the retail industry and customer experience. By ‘generative AI’, we mean algorithms that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations and videos. Importantly, AI-generated content is intended to resemble human-generated content, in that it appears authentic and human-like. How does this happen? Generative AI tools are, effectively, ‘trained’ on vast amounts of electronically accessible data. Once the data has been gathered, the tool then analyses it by means of its algorithms, looking for key patterns and connected relationships. It is a learning process that involves the continuous fine-tuning of parameters, as it improves its ability to simulate human-generated content. The more content generated, the more sophisticated and convincing the AI tool

outputs become. Today, these tools are still in their infancy, but the expectation is that over the next decade or so, the content-generating potential and power of these tools will take generative AI to unimaginable levels of sophistication.

This article looks at some of the opportunities presented by generative AI to both retailers and consumers. It also looks at some of the associated risks.

The opportunities

Let’s first look at some of the opportunities for retailers and consumers:

Product design and innovation:

When one thinks about it, there is limitless scope for generative AI tools being used in the design and innovation of new products, based on a detailed analysis of customer preferences and market trends. Generative AI algorithms have the potential to feed into the evolution of product design, either proposing new or ‘tweaking’ existing designs that resonate with consumer preferences.  This technology can also

Forde,

AI offers exciting opportunities for retailers and consumers alike. Image from rawpixel.com.

Inventory management and demand forecasting: Generative AI algorithms can analyse historic sales data, market trends or interpret weather forecasts (for example, anticipating severe cold or high temperature periods), or be used to analyse shipping and logistical constraints and a host of other influencing factors to optimise inventory management and demand forecasting. By accurately predicting consumer demand, retailers can avoid stock shortages or excess inventory and generate less waste, resulting in cost savings, greater profitability and improved customer satisfaction.

be used to facilitate greater opportunities for product customisation.

Personalised marketing: Personalisation is crucial in today’s retail landscape and generative AI can analyse customer data and generate personalised marketing content through product recommendations, tailored advertisements and personalised offerings. One particular area of enhancement is in the area of enhanced product visualisation. AI algorithms have the potential to create stunning images and videos, helping retailers showcase products in the most compelling way.

Virtualised shopping assistants:

The personalisation experience can be further augmented through the use of virtual (human-like) shopping assistants to provide personalised recommendations and guidance. The purpose is to better understand customer preferences and help them navigate through product catalogues, all of which are designed to improve the shopping experience.

Environmental sustainability:

Generative AI can significantly minimise material waste and carbon emissions associated with a traditional product development process. This process enables retailers to iterate and refine product designs digitally, leading to more eco-friendly manufacturing processes. In addition, through optimised inventory management, transportation and associated carbon emissions can be further minimised.

Fraud detection and prevention:

Generative AI can be utilised to detect and prevent fraudulent activities in retail, such as credit card fraud or identity theft. AI algorithms can analyse patterns, detect anomalies and flag suspicious transactions, enabling retailers to take proactive measures to manage their customers' information and protect their businesses.

The risks

Let’s look at some of the risks for retailers and consumers:

Ethical concerns:

Generative AI raises ethical concerns related to the creation and use of artificially generated content. Is it real? Is it truthful? Can it be trusted? Retailers, therefore, need to ensure that the generated content is neither misleading nor deceptive. Moreover, consumers may have concerns about their personal data being

Retailers need to ensure that the generated content is neither misleading nor deceptive.

”

Retail Technology: Artificial Intelligence

The personalisation experience can be further augmented through the use of virtual shopping assistants to provide personalised recommendations and guidance. Image from rawpixel.com.

used to train generative AI models with the potential that such information might be abused.

Bias and discrimination:

AI algorithms can, in theory, inadvertently perpetuate biases present in the training data. For example, the training data might contain biases related to race, gender or other protected characteristics, with the result that the tool may produce biased outputs. Retailers must be alert to this risk and implement human oversight to better manage the possibility of harmful or offensive content being disseminated.

Security risks:

As generative AI tools become more sophisticated, so too do the risk opportunities for abuse by malicious actors, using them to create convincing fake content, such as counterfeit products or personalised offerings to customers, false advertisements and deepfake videos. Retailers will need to be vigilant in their detection and mitigation of the risks so as to protect brand reputation and maintain consumer trust.

Intellectual property:

A frequently voiced concern is that generative AI poses a threat to human generated IP and that it may also have a detrimental impact on the creative industries, which was a fact recently recognised by the UK government in scrapping the proposed text and data mining exemption to copyright law. As the Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney said in the UK Parliament, “We cannot let AI

If utilised properly, AI can help to better understand customer preferences and help them navigate through product catalogues, all of which are designed to improve the shopping experience. replace the human creators who have built our world-leading creative industry, nor can AI content be produced off the backs of hard-working creatives without their consent.”

Customer privacy:

Because generative AI relies on vast amounts of data to learn and create content, retailers must handle customer data responsibly and ensure compliance with data protection laws. Transparent policies regarding data collection, storage and usage should always be implemented to address concerns and generate trust.

Employment concerns:

The automation capabilities of generative AI may also lead to concerns about job replacement in the retail sector. As AI tools begin to handle tasks traditionally performed by humans, there is a potential impact on employment. Retailers need to be careful in their management of this transition, retraining and upskilling their workforce to adapt to new roles and leveraging AI as a tool to enhance human productivity rather than replace it.

About the author

FOR further information on this topic please contact Mathew Forde, Partner at Lewis Silkin Ireland specialising in intellectual property, media and dispute resolution (Mathew.Forde@lewissilkin. com). This article is for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice should be sought in any given set of circumstances.

Environmental risks:

Any large-scale deployment of generative AI systems will require significantly greater computing power than that engaged by today’s AI tools. The energy consumption associated with training and running deep learning models will be substantial. It will, therefore, be crucial that retailers explore energy-efficient hardware options and sustainable computing solutions to mitigate the environmental impact.

Conclusion

AI offers exciting opportunities for retailers and consumers alike, but retailers also need to address the associated risks and challenges posed to brand reputation. Retailers will need to navigate ethical concerns and biases, protect consumer privacy and safeguard against security threats. By striking the right balance between harnessing the potential power of the AI tools and addressing its risks, retailers can unlock the full potential of this technology over the next decade, creating a future where personalised and innovative retail experiences become the normal rather than the exception.

Brands on the run? Not in Ireland

Resilient brands are standing their ground and thriving in challenging times according to Kantar’s 2023 Brand Footprint, explains Emer Healy, Business Development Director, Kantar.

IN the face of economic uncertainty and the tremendous financial strain experienced by many households, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry has proven its resilience. Despite the costof-living crisis and shifting consumer needs, brands have managed to stand their ground and continue to thrive. Our recently released Kantar's 2023 Brand Footprint report sheds light on the ranking of the most chosen FMCG brands by Irish shoppers, revealing a fascinating trend of enduring brand loyalty and adaptability in challenging times.

The top five most chosen brands in Ireland have remained unchanged for many years, a testament to their unwavering popularity. Brennans, Avonmore, Tayto, Cadbury's Dairy Milk and Denny have consistently secured their positions at the top. This loyalty to established brands highlights the trust and familiarity that consumers seek, even in the face of economic turmoil.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis propelling shoppers to search for greater value, the fact that households purchased an average of 81 brands over the course of the year, with only a slight decrease from the previous year, indicates that brands that have successfully adapted to changing shopper needs are emerging victorious.

Innovation and indulgence

It is worth noting that while value for money remains a priority

for shoppers, innovation and indulgence still hold a significant place in their minds. The movements within the ranking demonstrate this reality. For example, Pringles saw a remarkable jump of seven positions to reach number 18 in the Irish FMCG ranking. This success can be attributed to their ability to meet changing consumer needs. Pringles attracted new shoppers by introducing new, spicy Sizzl’N flavours to their existing range, appealing to those seeking a unique and bold snacking experience.

Similarly, Yoplait climbed seven positions to reach number 19

Emer Healy, Business Development Director, Kantar.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis propelling shoppers to search for greater value, Irish households purchased an average of 81 brands over the course of the year [Image from rawpixel.com].

by recognising the growing number of shoppers seeking dairyfree alternatives. Their launch of the dairy-free Petit Filous range showcased their commitment to addressing evolving consumer preferences. This strategic move resonated with consumers who were actively seeking options that aligned with their dietary choices.

Another notable example of a brand that successfully adapted and thrived in challenging times is McGuigan. Climbing an impressive 34 positions to reach number 128 in the ranking, McGuigan expanded its range to include alcohol-free products. This expansion catered to the increasing demand for alcoholfree alternatives, tapping into a previously underserved market segment. By recognising this shifting consumer preference, McGuigan not only met the needs of a new audience but also experienced significant growth as a result.

Meeting changing consumer needs

These fluctuations in the rankings demonstrate that even during times of financial difficulty, consumers continue to prioritise their favourite brands and seek out ways to indulge in small luxuries within their budgets. Brands that actively focus on meeting changing consumer needs, whether through accessible pack sizes,

About the author

competitive price points or the introduction of products for new occasions, are the ones that find their way into shoppers' baskets more frequently.

This resilience and adaptability are crucial for brands aiming to maintain a strong presence in the market. The movement we see in the rankings underscores the importance of brand resilience and the value of adaptation and innovation. Brands that demonstrate the ability to evolve and meet the ever-changing demands of consumers are more likely to thrive, even in the face of economic challenges. They understand that consumer preferences are not static and that their success lies in their ability to anticipate and address these

Despite the cost-of-living crisis and shifting consumer needs, brands have managed to stand their ground and continue to thrive [Image from rawpixel.com].

preferences effectively.

As we navigate uncertain times, it is encouraging to witness brands rising to the occasion and evolving to meet the everchanging demands of consumers. Kantar's 2023 Brand Footprint report serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring power of brands and their ability to withstand economic challenges, while also providing consumers with the products and experiences they desire.

Table: The top 20 FMCG brands in Ireland (Source: Kantar’s Brand Footprint report).

Brands that have successfully adapted to changing shopper needs are emerging victorious.

Pritt sticks with sustainability

Pritt, the nation’s favourite glue stick, is more sustainable than ever.

LAST year, consumer goods company Henkel relaunched their famous Pritt stick, bringing some good news for the climate-conscious children, teachers and crafters. The updated generation of Pritt sticks is even more sustainable and environmentally friendly than before; the glue is made from 97% natural ingredients (including water and potato starch) and the stick container consists of up to 65% post-industrial recycled plastics (depending on stick size). The sticks are fully recyclable.

“The updated formula comes with the same excellent performance,” revealed Daniela Alves, Pritt Brand Manager at Henkel UK. “Pritt is every bit as safe, durable and flexible as ever. Replacing a significant amount of plastics with post-industrial recycled plastic and ensuring the tubes are recyclable is good news for children, parents and teachers who care deeply about plastic waste.”

97% natural ingredients

Pritt has been unique in the market for many years thanks to its safe and strong formula based on potato starch and sugar, reaching 90% natural ingredients. Now the Henkel product development team has managed to reach 97% natural ingredients, while keeping its well-known strength and high

gluing power. Pritt glue continues to offer a strong initial tack, remains repositionable and provides a long-lasting adhesion to materials, with low wrinkling of paper.

Recycled and recyclable materials

The relaunch is in line with Henkel’s packaging targets for 2025. The new glue stick container is fully produced using recycled plastics (up to 65%, depending on the stick size). Only the cap and spinning mechanism are still made of virgin plastic to ensure functionality and performance. In addition, all materials are fully recyclable when the stick is empty.

Pritt stick is available in four different sizes – 11 grams, 22 grams, 43 grams and 90 grams – and in different colours. The product is solvent-free and can be washed off, even at 20° C degrees.

Find out more about Pritt at prittworld.co.uk.

How to recycle a Pritt stick

THE Top 20 Wine Brands is the annual Retail News wine feature based on the Nielsen Scantrack sales figures. Every year, we compare the overall volume sales of each wine brand in the off trade on a MAT basis against the previous year’s sales figures. The summary comes from Nielsen Scantrack, which compares on a volume sales basis the figures from March 2022 with March 2023.

The top five wine brand positions have changed slightly this year, with Wolf Blass dropping out and the Barefoot brand entering the Top 5 for the first time. There is no change to the top three wine brands - Santa Rita, Concha y Toro and McGuigan - which remain in the same position as they have since 2018.

There were no new entrants this year. Last year saw the entry of the GN Wine range and 19 Crimes into our chart. The brand which showed the largest increase in volume sales for the period March 2022 to March 2023 on an MAT basis was the much sought after Australian wine brand, 19 Crimes, who increased their sales by a staggering +41.9% during the year, the largest volume increase for any brand in quite some time. Wines from the

Top cellars

Jean Smullen examines the top 20 wine brands on the Irish market.

USA giant, E&J Gallo portfolio also showing a very strong increase in sales of +21.6%. The i heart Wine range showed a good uptake of +16.2%. Finally, from New Zealand, Delegat’s Oyster Bay brand showed a very healthy sales increase on this market of +9.4% for the same period.

The Top 5 Wine Brands on the Irish Market for 2022-2023:

wine is still the most popular country of origin choice with the Irish consumer in terms of volume sales. The top producing countries in terms of volume sales in the off trade on the Irish market for the last year are Chile, France, Australia, Spain, and Italy (Source: Nielsen Scantrack, March 2023).

A caveat here: the Nielsen figures are based on data received from a selected number of retailers, which includes SuperValu and Tesco, some Spar outlets, and the independent off licences; not all the retailers supply their data to Nielsen.

Country of origin wine sales in the off trade

The Nielsen Scantrack to March 2023 reflects sales only in the off trade, not the whole market. They are a useful guideline to sales in that sector and include details of value sales as well as volume.

Value sales of wine in the retail sector on an MAT for the first quarter of 2023 from March 2022 to March 2023 show overall sales of wine on a value basis were flat.

Volume sales for the same period show a marginal decrease of -3.4%. However, it should be noted that MAT figures for the off trade during the period March ‘22 versus Mar ‘23 show that Chilean

Established in 1880, Viña Santa Rita is one of Chile’s oldest and most respected wineries. Santa Rita’s 120 brand has remained the top selling wine brand in the off trade in Ireland for the last nine years. Look out for their consumer competition entitled ‘Summer Displays’ where consumers can scan a QR code and enter a competition to win 120 summer prizes. The summer displays will be available until August in Dunnes Stores and SuperValu. Details of the competition will also be highlighted using neck-collars.

1. Santa Rita

2. Concha y Toro

3. McGuigan

4. Barefoot (E&J Gallo)

5. Dada (Fincas las Moras)

1. Viña Santa Rita - Chile (Bibendum Ireland)

The Santa Rita 120 De-Alcoholised range is another innovation from Ireland’s leading wine brand which has taken the Irish market by storm.

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

Bibendum have started the communication process for the summer campaign in June, using three of Ireland’s top social media influencers who have explained to their audience how to participate and what the prizes are. The three influences are interiors content creator Sarah Battle, who has an impressive audience on her Instagram account; Paul Kinsella, a renowned social media influencer with a strong focus on interiors, DIY, and lifestyle hacks; and Emma O’Leary, who covers food, interiors, travel, and family.

3. McGuigan - Australia (Barry & Fitzwilliam)

Casillero del Diablo is Concha y Toro’s flagship brand and remains Ireland’s second most popular wine brand. Concha y Toro manage their brand directly on this market.

After sponsoring the highly anticipated final season of Smother on RTÉ with the advert featuring brand ambassador Pedro Pascal, the brand are now looking to cool off over the summer months and turn the attention to the range of refreshing whites and rosé wines, with legendary summer displays being implemented in all major retailers nationwide.

The brand will also be hosting a Murder Mystery night in Café en Seine in August, giving Casillero del Diablo fans a chance to partake and solve the mystery surrounding the Devil's Cellar and learn first-hand the dangers of trying to steal from the Devil. Lucky competition winners will be treated to a night of mystery, canapés and of course legendary wine!

McGuigan remains the number one Australian wine brand in the off trade. The McGuigan Black Label varietal range includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Rosé, Malbec and McGuigan Frizzante. McGuigan also sell a range of de-alcoholised wine called Delight with an 0.5% ABV; the range also has a Rosé and a white made from the Moscato grape. Barry & Fitzwilliam, who distribute the McGuigan range in Ireland, have the McGuigan Black Label Range on a save €3 promotion in July & August 2023.

4. Barefoot (E&J Gallo) - California USA (Comans Beverages)

Heading into the Top 5 Wine Brands for the first time is Barefoot, the number one selling Californian brand on this market. This year they have moved from sixth to fourth in the brand chart.

Barefoot are always actively involved in a range of community activities, having been a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community since 1988 and are committed to accepting everyone exactly as they are, spreading inclusivity and positivity to wine lovers across the globe. Today, the brand continues to support LGBTQ+ communities by taking part in Pride parades and supporting LGBTQ+ charities all over the world.

This summer they also returned with the Barefoot Beach Sports festival, the only festival in Ireland to feature Beach Sports. In June, Barefoot beach sports fanatics joined Sea Sessions headliners Kasabian,

Becky

the biggest beach party weekend of the year in South Donegal. Barefoot Beach Sports features Volleyball, Soccer, Rugby, Frisbee and Yoga. Barefoot wine, the main sponsors, have helped this event to grow for the last 14 years.

The hugely popular Dada red wine range is made up of Dada 1, made from a blend of Malbec and Bonarda, Dada 2 Merlot

Dada’s range of red wines continues to perform extremely well in Ireland.

2. Casillero del Diablo - Chile (Viña Concha y Toro)

The iconic Casillero del Diablo brand remains hugely popular with Irish wine lovers.

McGuigan: the number one Australian wine brand in the off trade.

The hugely popular Barefoot brand breaks into the Top 5 for the first time this year.

Hill and The Coronas at

5. Dada (Fincas las Moras) – Argentina (Comans Beverages)

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

to enter a competition to embark on this indulgent escape.

Irish market. With this trajectory, i heart is likely to continue to see a steady grow in sales during the coming twelve months.

and Dada 3 Cabernet/Shiraz. Following on from their launch of the White Malbec last summer, this year Comans are proud to introduce the latest white varietal to the Dada range, Dada Sauvignon Blanc (RRP €10-11). This wine offers a fusion of tropical fruit and crisp acidity and shows Dada’s commitment to making quality wine. This year, the Dada Sauvignon Blanc is set to match the success of the White Malbec launch from last year. Expect the unexpected, and look out for this new wine, exclusively from Comans Beverages, on your shelves from late July.

6. Wolf Blass - Australia (Findlater & Co)

Wolf Blass is a premium Australian brand that has enormous recognition from the Irish consumer. Established by Wolfgang Blass in 1966, the Wolf Blass winery has become synonymous with wines of exceptional quality, character and consistency. With an astounding collection of over 10,000 worldwide awards, the winery stands as a testament to the remarkable craftsmanship found in its wines.

This summer, consumers can buy a bottle of Wolf Blass Yellow label and enter their competition to win a Trip to Venice. Wolf Blass has partnered with Secret Escapes, the leading members-only travel platform, to offer an unrivalled opportunity

Tony Ashton, Global Marketing Director of Wolf Blass, expressed his enthusiasm for the brand's commitment to offer a luxury experience beyond the realm of wine. This year's promotion grants the lucky winner a once-ina-lifetime trip to the enchanting city of Venice. The grand prize includes a five-night stay at the opulent Radisson Collection Hotel Palazzo Nani Venice, immersing the winner in the captivating atmosphere of this historic destination.

Wolf Blass are offering consumers the opportunity to win an exclusive trip to Venice this summer.

To further enhance the experience, the winner will also receive €500 in spending money, ensuring a truly lavish and unforgettable trip.

7. i heart Wine (Freixenet Copestick)

The second biggest mover in our chart this year, up six places from 13th place to number seven in our brand chart, is the i heart brand, created by Freixenet in 2010 and launched on the Irish market in 2016. The range includes i heart Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio Blush, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the i heart Zero range. Two years ago, the brand entered the Top 20 Wine Brands in 13th position and is now the third biggest brand in terms of volume sales growth on the

The i heart brand continues to grow its share of the Irish wine market.

8. Cono Sur - Chile (Findlater & Co) Cono Sur, founded in 1993, have quickly become global leaders in environmental commitment and accountability. With a focus on quality, innovation and sustainability, the company has revolutionised the wine industry. In 1998, Cono Sur made the switch to an integrated vineyard management system, free from artificial herbicides and pesticides, ensuring the highest standards of quality, while minimising their ecological impact. Winemaker Mathías Ríos, renowned for his craftsmanship, creates singlevineyard expressions of varietal wines. By focusing on specific vineyard sites, Cono Sur capture the unique characteristics of each terroir, resulting in exceptional wines known for their lightness of touch and purity.

New Dada Sauvignon Blanc joins the popular Dada White Malbec this year.

Highlighting their commitment to sustainability, Cono Sur sponsored the Ride Dingle event as part of their Sustainable Way campaign. This initiative encourages participants and attendees to embrace sustainable practices while enjoying the excitement of the event. Cono Sur's dedication to sustainability extends beyond their own operations, inspiring others to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

Through initiatives like the Sustainable Way campaign and Ride Dingle sponsorship, Cono Sur leads by example, inspiring both wine enthusiasts and the wider public to embrace a more sustainable future. With their enduring legacy, Cono Sur continue to be at the forefront of responsible business practices, showcasing that quality, innovation and sustainability go hand in hand.

9. [yellow tail] – Australia (Bibendum Ireland)

John Casella created [yellow tail] exclusively for the US market in 2001, and the brand, named after Australia’s Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby, has created a huge niche for itself in the intervening years. In 2005, [yellow tail] became the first varietal wine to sell one million cases in a single year. [yellow tail] was

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

the top [yellow tail] sku on this market is the [yellow tail] Sauvignon Blanc. Other wines in the range include the [yellow tail] Pinot Grigio, Shiraz, Chardonnay, and Merlot, as well as the [yellow tail] Jammy Red Roo, a red wine blend made from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Anita Forte of Bibendum Ireland told Retail News that [yellow tail] will be running a digital competition to win a BBQ and a SuperValu voucher in July; customers will also receive an in-store gift featuring on purchase display units in selected SuperValu and Centra stores. Those who purchase two bottles of [yellow tail] will receive a free branded cheeseboard. Earlier this summer, Bibendum utilised influencers to run a digital competition with a prize of a €500 voucher for further space glamping, a BBQ and a [yellow tail] hamper.

10. Oyster Bay - New Zealand (Delegat Wine Estate)

Delegat, the New Zealand owned wine business, are the proud owners of the global phenomenon Oyster Bay, one of the world's most successful super-premium wine brands. Oyster Bay continues its success story in Ireland and having enjoyed another year of strong growth, remains in tenth place overall and is the number one selling New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc, the hugely popular varietal from [yellow

Cono Sur are pioneers in sustainability in the wine

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

The brand's unique blend of history, storytelling and exceptional quality has positioned it as a true disruptor in the market.

A key factor in 19 Crimes' success is its broad appeal to both Millennial males and females. With 57% male and 43% female enthusiasts, the brand has struck a chord with a diverse audience. This balanced appeal showcases 19 Crimes' ability to resonate with the preferences and tastes of Millennials, transcending traditional gender boundaries.

Oyster Bay is one of the world's most successful super-premium wine brands and the number one selling New Zealand wine in Ireland.

Business Manager for Oyster Bay in Ireland, told Retail News that this summer the Oyster Bay Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay will be on offer in Tesco stores nationwide, from June 28 to August 8, with an RRP of €12.

11. 19 CrimesAustralia (Findlater & Co)

The biggest mover in our chart this year, up eight places from 19th place to number 11 in our brand chart, is 19 Crimes, a brand that first entered our chart in 2022. The last year has seen the brand show significant volume growth (+41.9%). 19 Crimes has emerged as a captivating force in the world of wine, defying conventions and capturing the hearts and palates of Millennials. With a core target audience of Millennial males, 19 Crimes appeals to those new to the wine category or seeking low to medium involvement.

Currently, 19 Crimes is running the exciting 19th Cork Competition in the Republic of Ireland, offering customers the chance to win a share of €2,500. The competition involves finding the elusive 19th Crimes cork across the brand's range. By promoting the competition extensively, 19 Crimes entices consumers to participate and become a 19th Cork Winner. This initiative adds an element of mystery and excitement, reinforcing the brand's commitment to creating memorable experiences for its audience.

for 41.5% of all Rioja wine sold here. This was followed by Genérico (formerly known as Vina Joven) 35.5%, Crianza 18.4% and Gran Reserva 4.4%. The top three export markets for Rioja are the UK (33%), Germany (15.2%) and the USA (9.5%), while Ireland, in 11th place, accounts for 2.54% of all Rioja wine sales globally (Source: Grupo Rioja).

emerged as a captivating force in the world of wine, defying conventions and capturing the hearts and palates of Millennials.

12. Campo ViejoSpain (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard) Spain has several key brands such as Campo Viejo, which perform extremely well on this market and because a number feature in the top brand list, sales of Spanish wine continue to perform well both in value and volume terms. Sales of wine from the Rioja region in 2022-23 were strong.

Spain.

Reserva is the most popular aged style; in 2022, sales of Reserva wines accounted

13. Torres - Spain (Findlater & Co) Familia Torres have been at the heart of sustainability and climate action for over 30 years. For over three decades, Familia Torres have been trailblazers in the realm of sustainability and climate action, long before it became a popular or fashionable topic. Spearheaded by Miguel Torres Senior, the Torres family have consistently led the way in groundbreaking initiatives, making them pioneers in the field.

The hugely familiar Sangre de Toro brand from Torres, who continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in sustainability and climate action.

Their commitment to regenerative agriculture, replanting ancestral and native varieties, self-generated energy and carbon capture initiatives has solidified their reputation as industry leaders. Familia Torres have set a target to become carbon neutral by 2050 and are well on their way to achieving it. By the end of 2019, they had already surpassed their 2020 target of reducing their carbon footprint by 30% and set a new goal of 50% total carbon reduction by 2030.

As co-founders of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), Familia Torres are leading the way for the wine industry to be accountable for climate change. They are not only experts but also educators on sustainability and climate action. Based in Penedès, Catalonia, Familia Torres operate vineyards in California and Chile. All their estates are sustainably

The hugely popular Campo Viejo brand from

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

managed, employing organic farming and regenerative agriculture practices.

This summer, Sangre de Toro sponsored the Beyond the Pale music festival, while Celeste will also collaborate with the Porthouse Group to host an underthe-stars dinner, combining gastronomy with celestial wonder.

Familia Torres continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in sustainability and climate action. Their visionary approach and unwavering commitment inspire the wine industry and beyond to join the race towards a greener and more sustainable future.

14. E&J Gallo - California (Comans Beverages)

The third biggest mover in our chart this year, up two places from 16th place to number 14 is Gallo Family Vineyards, the owner of Apothic, the number one premium wine brand in the USA.

Michael Ryan, Marketing Manager at Comans Beverages, told Retail News that as well as Gallo’s larger brands, their premium wines, such as the Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel (RRP €20) are also performing well. Ravenswood is an iconic, cult range of Zinfandel wines from America’s renowned ‘King of Zin’, Joel Peterson. The wines are expressive and lively and produced using old world inspiration in the winemaking process. There are very few wineries that have had the philosophy and expertise of one man for

over 30 years. Ravenswood has a massive cult following in the United States and it is spreading, making this wine a must-have addition to any good retail portfolios in the independent off trade.

15. Villa Maria - New Zealand (Barry & Fitzwilliam)

Villa Maria

Estate was founded by Sir George Fistonich in 1961; in 2021 he sold it to Indevin New Zealand and the purchase included Villa Maria's Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Auckland wineries and vineyards, as well as the flagship brand, Villa Maria. A leader in sustainability, innovation and quality, Villa Maria is recognised as an icon in the NZ wine industry.

Villa Maria has created approachable, food friendly wines of premium quality from many of New Zealand’s key winegrowing regions.

Blanc herbaceous characters but with red berry notes. With an ABV of 12.5% and relatively low sugar levels, make sure you stock this award-winning addition to the Villa Maria range. Villa Maria Blush Sauvignon was awarded Bronze at both the IWSC and the International Wine Challenge in 2021. Look out for it on offer in SuperValu this summer.

16. Faustino

DOCa RiojaSpain (Richmond Marketing)

Bodegas Faustino, a winery of Familia Martínez Zabala, has been a leading exporter of Rioja Gran Reserva for over 30 years, with a market share of 35% of the most prestigious category in Rioja. Faustino is recognised as one of the World's Most Admired Wine Brands, appearing in 2023, for the sixth year, on the Drinks International Top 50 list.

Sauvignon is made from a blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc blended with 14% Merlot to add a hint of colour to this very appealing fresh style of

Kevin O’Mahony of Barry & Fitzwilliam told Retail News that the Villa Maria Private Bin Range will be on offer this summer with an RRP of €13, down from €16.99. Today, Dave Roper is Villa Maria’s winemaker; his 2022 Villa Maria Blush Sauvignon (RRP €14.95) is a brand-new addition to their range, made from a blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc blended with 14% Merlot to add a hint of colour to this very appealing fresh style of Rosé, showing all those lovely Sauvignon

David Kilcommons of Richmond Marketing told Retail News , that Bodegas Faustino and the world-famous architect Lord Norman Foster recently unveiled 'The Legacy of Bodegas Faustino', which will transform Bodegas Faustino into the most innovative and sustainable wine architectural complex worldwide. The project aims at a complete redesign that benefits all the surroundings, the winery and vineyard. New areas for visitors and new buildings will be built and the existing facilities will be remodelled. As a result, the visitors to Bodegas Faustino will be able to enjoy the most complete and

Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel is an iconic, cult Zinfandel from America’s renowned ‘King of Zin’, Joel Peterson.

Villa Maria Blush

Rosé.

Bodegas Faustino has been a leading exporter of Rioja Gran Reserva for over 30 years.

On the Vine: Top 20 Wines

exclusive set of experiences around wine, vineyards, nature, architecture, culture and sustainability. Lourdes Martínez Zabala, CEO of the winery, said: “All of us in Familia Martínez Zabala are very proud of the Sir Norman Foster team project. It will allow Bodegas Faustino to live and develop in a unique architectural space. We are convinced that this will strengthen the position of Bodegas Faustino as a world leader in the production of Rioja wines.”

17. Brancott Estate - New Zealand (Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard)

Brancott Estate (previously known as Montana) planted the first Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough, New Zealand, in 1975 and opening the first winery in a place that ended up becoming a globally renowned wine region. Laura Kerr, Assistant Brand ManagerLifestyle Portfolio at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, highlighted the new Brancott Bottle image and the newlook visuals currently being used to promote the range.

18. Blossom Hill – California, USA (Findlater & Co)

Blossom Hill, a celebrated name in the wine industry with a 30-year legacy, offers an impressive selection of 17 fantastic wines to cater to every discerning palate. Whether consumers prefer fresh, fruity, crisp, juicy, smooth, mellow or spiced flavours, Blossom Hill's wine range has them covered. As a brand, Blossom Hill enjoys strong brand awareness and recognition among wine enthusiasts.

To further expand their consumer base, Blossom Hill are actively focused on attracting new and younger shoppers to the wine

category. The brand's aim is to introduce a fresh generation to the pleasures of wine, while reinforcing their position as an approachable and fruit-forward option that is perfect for sharing with friends. The recent packaging revamp by Blossom Hill reflects this vision, showcasing a more contemporary and inviting design that aligns with the brand's positioning. The new packaging reflects the brand's commitment to creating an easy-drinking and enjoyable wine experience, perfect for sharing and socialising with friends.

19. Graham Norton (Barry & Fitzwilliam)

Brand new to the Irish wine brand chart in 2022, the Graham Norton (GN) range of wines celebrates its first decade this year. Founded by two Kiwi school friends Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron in 2008, Invivo are behind the award-winning collaboration with Graham Norton. Graham Norton’s range now features 11 products. Graham is a shareholder in Invivo and is handson with tasting and blending each new wine or spirit, which are made to his taste.

This year the brand celebrates the fact that it has gone from 14,000 bottles in 2014 to 15 million in 2021. Speaking about his decade in the business, Graham Norton said, “It is surreal to think that our little collaboration together that started out all those years ago is now global. I am amazed, and proud of it too. I do not just put my name to the wines, I am involved and I love being part of the process.”

Graham Norton now sells his wines in 16 countries and his Sauvignon Blanc is one

of the top three Sauvignon Blanc brands on the Irish market this year. This summer, look out for the Graham Norton (GN) New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on offer at €12, the GN Frizzante Bianco & Rosé will be on offer for €11.50 and the GN Shiraz and GN Rosé will also have a special offer price of €12.

20. Viña CarmenChile (United Wines)

The distribution in both the north and south of Ireland of the premium Chilean brand Viña Carmen moved to United Wines in 2019. The flagship premium wine from the Santa Rita stable has a very loyal following on this market, especially with the customer who enjoys mid-priced quality wines from Chile. This year, Viña Santa Rita and Viña Carmen experienced a historically warm harvest, with the highest temperatures seen in the Chilean wine valleys over the last 70 years. This is an early harvest, like 2020, but with unprecedented grape maturity. Gerardo Leal, Viticulture Manager of Santa Rita Estates, commented, “Summer 2023 saw the thermometer soar to over 34°C, with successive heat waves from mid-January to the end of March. For this reason, the start of the harvest was brought forward to the first week of February and finished in record time in mid-April. This year has been special as historically this is the earliest we have ever started harvest. The white grapes were harvested mainly until mid-March, with very good results in terms of yields and quality, while the reds finished the process during the first week of April, with a lower production than estimated but slightly higher than the previous season.”

Blossom

Hill’s new packaging reflects the brand's

commitment to creating an easydrinking and enjoyable wine experience, perfect for sharing and socialising with friends.

Graham Norton’s range of wines continue to grow from strength to strength worldwide, and make their first appearance in the Top 20 this year.

INTRODUCING

the VINO FRIZZANTE ROSÉ

CCPC report dismisses profiteering claims

IN June, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) published an important new report on the grocery sector in Ireland. It followed very significant media and political focus on the high levels of grocery price inflation over recent months.

The report, which was requested by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney TD, looked at how the grocery market is functioning, the reason behind recent price rises and the merits of any possible Government action or intervention in the market to address concerns over price levels.

Importantly, the report dismissed many of the charges that have been levelled at the sector in the media over recent months and says there is strong and healthy competition across the sector. It says that competition has increased over recent years on the basis of price, quality, location and service.

The CCPC report acknowledged that food prices remain high in Ireland when compared internationally; however, there are understandable reasons for this. Ireland’s geographic location and dispersed population means that our import and distribution costs are higher than average. Also, our relatively low population level means that Irish retailers do not enjoy the same economies of scale that exist in many European countries.

Irish businesses also have to contend with much higher costs than businesses in other parts of Europe, including higher labour costs and higher costs for construction, legal services, energy and insurance.

Lowest level of food inflation in the EU

Despite these high costs, the report notes that Ireland has had the lowest level of food inflation in the EU since 2015, and over the last two years Irish inflation levels have been similar to other parts of Europe. When it comes to recent price trends, there is nothing unusual or unexpected happening in the Irish market, compared to other retail markets across Europe.

The report highlights that it took a significant amount of time for higher input costs to be passed onto consumers by retailers, and there would likely be a lag before lowering input costs would ultimately be reflected in price trends.

The report also looks at a number of other areas that have been subject to extensive commentary recently. On the issue of

profitability, it says that profit margins in grocery retail are typically low compared to other types of businesses, and there was no evidence to suggest that profit margins in Irish retailers were in any way unusual.

Price interventions deemed unnecessary

The CCPC looked at price interventions internationally in relation to the grocery retail sector and did not find any evidence that they have benefitted consumers. In their analysis, they found that the introduction of price caps in the grocery retail sector would present a significant risk to the Irish economy and consumers as it would harm competition and could lead to supply shortages if retailers could not source these products at below the set price cap. Aside from availability, choice and quality could also be affected if the prices of certain products were capped as suppliers have no incentive to invest in new products or innovate existing ones.

The CCPC report supports the key messages that Retail Ireland has been communicating over recent months about the causes of food inflation, the relationship between input costs and consumer prices, the competitive nature of the Irish retail market and the potential risks of price interventions.

The report will help address some of the ill-informed and opportunistic commentary on grocery prices that we have seen over recent months. While specific pricing decisions are a matter for individual retailers, intense competition in the sector will ensure that consumers benefit from falling commodity and energy prices. This is happening already and will continue.

Tel: 01-6051558 | www.retailireland.ie

Need more?

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

What you need to know about Re-turn

Re-turn, operators of Ireland’s forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme, outline what retailers need to do to ensure compliance with the new scheme, including those who qualify for a Take Back Exemption.

IRELAND’S Deposit Return Scheme will go live on February 1, 2024. Following the introduction of the Separate Collection Legislation to achieve EU recycling targets, retailers who sell ‘in scope’ drinks containers (plastic beverage bottles, aluminium and steel cans) are legally obligated to register with Re-turn, who have been appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to operate Ireland’s deposit return scheme. Essentially, this is a producer-funded scheme to assist Ireland in reaching its recycling obligations. All producers who put ‘in scope’ products on the market and all retailers who sell ‘in scope’ products are legally required to register with the scheme.

From June 12 to July 19, Re-turn hosted a series of Retailer Roadshows at 11 locations across the country, providing retailers with information and support on how to prepare for the new national Deposit Return Scheme, Re-turn, and how it will operate. There was a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) at each location, together with collateral on options for take back and the collection process.

Re-turn are keen to emphasise that their team are available to support and provide information on all aspects of the scheme and how it will operate.

The retailer’s role

Retailers play a key role in the new Deposit Return Scheme and must comply with Retailer Membership Rules.

Retailers have two options when providing a take back service, either through:

• Manual Collection

• Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) – a list of approved suppliers is available at re-turn.ie

In all point of sale, retailers must display the Deposit Fee separate to the product price and as a separate line item on receipts.

Certain retailers may apply for a

In Scope Drinks Containers: PET plastic bottles, aluminium & steel cans

Deposit Fee: 150-500ml = 15c; Over 500ml – 3 litres = 25c

Take Back Exemption based on eligibility criteria - including those whose retail store size is under 250 square metres - but it is important to note that retailers must register with the scheme first.

How does Deposit Return work?

1. Retailer pays the cost of the product and the Deposit Fee.

2. Consumer pays the cost of the product and the Deposit Fee.

3. Consumer returns empty, undamaged container to retailer for a return of Deposit Fee.

4. Re-turn collects containers and pays retailer a Handling Fee, in addition to reimbursing all Deposit Fees redeemed in-store.

Re-turn have confirmed a Transition Period to facilitate both producers and

Pictured at the official launch of Re-turn are Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, together with the Chair of Re-turn, Tony Keohane.

Deposit Return Scheme: Re-turn

retailers in selling non deposit stock and preventing waste.

• Retailers can take delivery of Re-turn logo stock from January 1, 2024;

• Retailers can sell Re-turn logo stock from February 1, 2024;

• Retailers cannot purchase nondeposit stock from March 16, 2024;

• From June 1, 2024, all stock on retailer shelves must only be Re-turn logo stock.

Additional supports

For retailers opting to take back ‘in scope’ drinks containers through RVMs, the approximate starting price is €12,000. To find out more about RVMs, check out the RVM supplier list at Re-turn.ie. Retailers who purchase an RVM and take back less than 250,000 drinks containers per year may apply for financial support from Re-turn.

All retailers are paid a Handling Fee (In addition to redeemed Deposit Fees) on a monthly basis. On the fifth of each month, units handled and deposit fees are submitted to Re-turn for verification. On the tenth of each month, an invoice is generated on your behalf, and retailers have three further days to query the invoice amount. If no queries are received, Re-turn will accept this invoice and make payment to each retailer within 30 days.

Re-turn have been running Retailer Roadshows across the country, including this one in Waterford, providing retailers with information and support on how to prepare for the new national Deposit Return Scheme.

Deposit Return Scheme: Re-turn

Take Back Exemptions

Re-turn have announced the Take Back Exemptions for Deposit Return. Retailers operating from stores with a retail area of less than 250 square metres can apply for a Take Back Exemption.

In order to comply with the DRS Regulations, retailers applying for such a Take Back Exemption will also have to:

• have a Take Back Exemption notice for consumers on display instore.

• display in a manner that is visible to all customers a QR code locator, to find the nearest Deposit Return Point.

The rationale for take back exemptions is primarily based on minimising the impact of Deposit Return on smaller retailers, with Re-turn acknowledging that the implementation of DRS may impact disproportionally on smaller retailers, who may find it challenging to provide a takeback facility and storage for the return of empty in-scope bottles/containers. Physical space constraints, in addition to potential modification to smaller retail outlets may be cost prohibitive for some smaller retailers.

The key impacts underpinning the take back exemption rationale are the following:

• Affordability, cost to smaller retailers

The feedback from small to medium sized retailers is that they are facing very challenging times due to rising energy costs, inflation etc. The projected levels of return may be too low, in many cases, to justify investment in an RVM and to operate manual take-back for a small number of deposit returns may be onerous. This will give retailers choices, to either apply for a Take Back Exemption, to opt for manual handling or to invest in an RVM if they so choose. In addition to handling fees, a financial support programme is available for retailers who opt to use an RVM, and have returns of less than 250,000 unit per annum.

• Security and safety of staff

Re-turn recognises that the security of staff in operating a manual take-back in some retail outlets, where there are only one or two staff members on duty at any one time, may be a cause of concern from a security and safety perspective. The Take Back Exemption facility mitigates these potential concerns. Risk to staff may be a concern in areas where there may be an element of anti-social behaviour at certain times, which would make it very challenging and impractical for staff to take back empty container / bottles and to redeem deposits.

Re-turn have produced a document explaining the Take Back Exemptions, which is available at re-turn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Take-BackExemptions-3.7.23.pdf.

• Food safety and hygiene

Retailers who have a food element to their business selling food-to-go to their customers for consumption off-site and also retailers offering food for consumption on-site in cafes, small restaurants, and other food premises etc., must meet legal requirements and follow codes of best practice for food hygiene. Depending on space restrictions and other factors, the DRS take back obligation may compromise the capability of some retailers to comply with the necessary standards of food safety and hygiene. In such circumstances a Take Back Exemption may be an appropriate option.

• Support & buy-in of retailers for DRS

Retailers play a key role in the Deposit

Return Scheme and interact on a daily basis with all consumers. Return want to support and facilitate retailers as much as possible to reduce administration and costs ensuring a greater level of support for the new Deposit Return Scheme. They want to ensure that we have an efficient, cost-effective deposit return system that is convenient for consumers.

Next steps

All retailers who sell 'in scope' drinks containers are legally obliged to register with Re-turn. To register and find out more, please go to www.re-turn.ie/retailer If you have any questions, email info@re-turn.ie.

Deposit Return Scheme: RVM Systems

RVM Systems have a reverse vending machine for you

FROM February 2024, Ireland will introduce a Deposit Return Scheme. From this date, when a person buys a beverage in a plastic bottle, aluminium or steel can that features the Re-turn logo, they will pay a deposit of either 15c for container sizes between 150ml and 500ml or 25c for containers between 500ml up to 3 litres. When the empty undamaged container is returned to any participating retailer, the customer is entitled to get the deposit back in full.

Under the terms of the scheme, retailers can conveniently locate a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) at their store, to issue receipts for refunding deposits to their customers. Receipts are exchanged for a refund or against a purchase. The scheme organisers re-reimburse the store the deposit value paid to the customer plus a handling fee of 2.2c per each bottle/ can.

Increasingly, retailers in Ireland are realising the benefits of having an efficient and reliable RVM in place, as it streamlines and speeds up the return process for customers. As experienced in existing DRS markets, the more efficient and easier it is to use the RVM, the higher

the opportunity to drive footfall and incremental sales from customers wishing to reclaim their deposits.

Free-standing reverse vending machines

RVM Systems Ireland is an approved supplier to provide reverse vending machines to the Irish market. As well as an Irish-based sales and support office, RVM Systems Ireland have a national network of engineers ready to service the Irish market. All RVM Systems machines have already been tested in Irish stores and installations have already commenced.

RVM Systems Ireland provides a range of free-standing, small-footprint machines that can be easily placed in locations where store space is limited. “Our machines provide seamless digital reporting of volumes to both the scheme operator and store owners, critical for ensuring that retailers get paid their handling fees correctly,” explains David Kelly, Managing Director, RVM Systems Limited Ireland.

RVM Systems Ireland is the only RVM provider that provides a large 21.5” screen as standard, providing an excellent opportunity for in-store promotion and

Explaining the return process

The return process using an RVM is simple:

Bottles and cans are returned via the infeed and the machine uses sensors to identify the product using a combination of barcode, shape recognition, material recognition and weight, ensuring only empty containers are accepted. The user engages with the machine via the 21.5” digital screen, which communicates in unambiguous language regarding how to use the machine, while also totalling deposit amounts as multiple bottles and cans are inserted. A receipt is printed out at the end of the process, which can be returned inside the shop at the till for either cash or credit off the next purchase. Deposits can also be donated to charity via the screen or by giving the receipt to a charity.

Just beyond the infeed, the container is flattened by the compactor and dropped into an internal bin. All their standalone RVM machines require only a standard 3-pin electrical socket and LAN access to the internet for reporting and IT

RVM Systems have a range of reverse vending machines available for the Irish market, from standalone or larger modular solutions to suit all store sizes.

Deposit Return Scheme: RVM Systems

screens to display clear and easy-touse instructions for people returning beverage containers. The digital screen also instructs staff through a step-bystep cleaning process. Full staff training is provided during installation. Retailers can also use the digital screen to display in-house or third-party commercials, creating an additional marketing and revenue stream.

4. Digitisation:

All RVM Sytems’ machines are equipped with large 21.5” interactive digital screens to display clear and easy-to-use instructions for people returning beverage containers.

integration purposes.

As well as an online portal dashboard, RVM Systems provide a unique mobile phone App which can alert staff members by sending push notifications for ‘full bin’ alerts, and to update managers regarding current return volumes and earnings.

RVM Systems: a global market leader RVM Systems are a global market leader in reverse vending machines. The reasons why they have risen to the top of the market include:

1. Recognition process: how the machine recognises bottles and cans Barcode detection/container detection is

achieved by a laser array scanning at 9,900 scans per second, within a 360-degree sensing field. Their machines also detect using shape, weight, and material recognition (PET/metal detection).

2. Compaction: Each machine uses a unique processing and compactor system that is optimised for mixing cans and PET bottles in one bin, so the unit takes up less space and costs less.

3. Digital Interactive Screen: All RVM Sytems’ machines are equipped with large 21.5” interactive digital

RVM Systems’ machines require an internet connection (preferably using LAN but can also operate via a modem) to facilitate setting up for interfacing with phone apps, loyalty cards and cloud-based software. “All our systems also use secure telemetry software which communicates the exact throughput volumes and bottle types to the servers of the retailer and the Deposit Return Scheme Operator, so that usage is continually and seamlessly tracked,” explains David Kelly.

5. Future Proofing: RVM Systems supply standalone (small footprint) or larger modular solutions (built into a wall) for all store sizes. “Our Modular Proline range is expandable, allowing extra cabinets/bins to be added at a later stage so retailers can start small and add capacity as return volumes increase,” David Kelly notes.

6. Service level and responsiveness: “We pride ourselves not only on our technology but also on our aftercare and service levels,” stresses David Kelly. For a DRS to work successfully in a new market, rectifying the downtime of RVMs is essential. “In general, most technical issues can be solved by our technicians dialling into the machine remotely,” Kelly explains. “However, for issues that rarely arise where a site visit is required, a local engineer can respond and fix on-site issues quickly.”

More and more Irish retailers are realising the benefits of having an efficient and reliable RVM in place.

For more information on RVM Systems Ireland and information on RVM machines, visit www.rvmsystems.ie, phone (01) 4853646 or email IEsales@rvmsystems.com.

Guinness 0.0 production to increase by 300% in Dublin

GUINNESS have announced that production of Guinness 0.0 will increase by almost 300%, following an investment of €25 million in a new facility at St James’ Gate to meet growing domestic and global demand for the non-alcoholic stout. The new production facility includes six new processing vessels with a total capacity of 500,000 hectolitres (almost 90 million pints), and a two-storey building, where the alcohol is gently removed through a cold filtration system. “Guinness 0.0 is now the number one selling non-alcoholic beer in four-pack format in both Ireland and Great Britain. This expansion in production capacity at St James’ Gate is a testament to the quality of Guinness 0.0 and the growth of the non-alcoholic category, as consumers look for more choice on different occasions. We expect the growth of Guinness 0.0 to be another export success story for Ireland,” noted Barry O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Diageo Ireland, pictured with Aisling Ryan, Guinness 0.0 Innovation Brewer, at the new Guinness 0.0 production facility at St. James’s Gate.

Coca-Cola HBC acquire Finlandia Vodka

COCA-Cola HBC have reached an agreement to acquire Brown-Forman Finland Oy, owner of the Finlandia vodka brand, from Brown-Forman Corporation’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Brown-Forman Netherlands BV. The agreed purchase price amounts to US$220 million and is subject to customary closing price adjustments. Finlandia was established in 1970 and is a leading vodka brand in Central and Eastern Europe, with annual volumes of 2.7 million 9L cases globally, of which more than 60% is being generated within Coca-Cola HBC’s geographic footprint. “Having been associated with the distribution of Finlandia for 17 years in several markets, we are excited by this unique and regionally relevant opportunity that will support the acceleration of our on-premise business across more of our markets,” noted Zoran Bogdanovic, CEO of Coca-Cola HBC.

Boann Distillery unveil 'Summer Solstice' Whiskey

BOANN Distillery celebrated the summer solstice on June 21 by launching their newest creation, the ‘Summer Solstice’ release, marking the second single cask bottling from Boann in just six months. Last December, Boann celebrated the winter solstice with their first Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey, ‘Solstice’, reviving whiskey distilling for the first time in 160 years in the distillery’s home town of Drogheda, Co. Meath. The much-anticipated ‘Summer Solstice’ is the second Irish Single Pot Still whiskey from Boann, after undergoing three years of maturation in a 225-litre Rivesaltes Rouge Barriqu single cask from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in Southern France. “Summer Solstice will have a limited release of only 401 bottles, so it is sure to captivate connoisseurs and collectors alike,” revealed Pat Cooney, Boann founder and entrepreneur.

Powerscourt reveal final chapter of Estate Series

THE Powerscourt Distillery are concluding their Estate Series with ‘The Gates’, the final instalment of the trilogy. This edition, a Fercullen Single Malt, is an amalgamation of Bourbon and Amarone matured whiskeys, marking some of the first whiskey distilled in Wicklow in over a century. Fercullen Estate Series 3, The Gates, is a limited edition numbered bottle release with a 46% ABV and an RRP of €75. “The Gates is a fitting finale to our Estate series with the introduction of our own Powerscourt distilled Single Malt whiskey,” said John Cashman, Head of Brand and New Product Development for The Powerscourt Distillery. “We have continued our Amarone influence with a marriage of fully matured Amarone cask whiskey with ex-Bourbon matured whiskey.”

Edward Dillon adds Minuty Wines to portfolio

EDWARD Dillon have announced the addition of Minuty wines to the Moët Hennessy Ireland portfolio of premium wines and spirits, as they become the distributor of Minuty in the Republic of Ireland. For four generations, the Matton-Farnet family has cultivated excellence, promoting a uniquely Provençal art de vivre with its collection of exquisitely fresh, exceptionally aromatic Minuty wines. Château Minuty is one of the last estates in the Côtes de Provence where grapes are harvested entirely by hand. “The addition of Minuty wines to the Moët Hennessy portfolio is a wonderful opportunity for Edward Dillon,” noted Andy O’Hara, Edward Dillon CEO. “Rosé wines, and especially Provençal rosés, have seen a huge rise in popularity in recent years. As distributors in Ireland, we will bring increased accessibility to the category for our customers and consumers.” The 2022 vintages include Minuty Prestige Rosé (RSP €28) and Minuty M (RSP €24).

Barry & Fitzwilliam to distribute Rod Stewart’s new whisky

MUSIC industry icon Sir Rod Stewart has announced his next release, Wolfie’s Whisky. Designed to reflect Rod’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage with subtle nods to Americana, Wolfie’s was inspired by the legendary musician’s early hell-raising days with The Faces. “Wolfie’s is a rascal of a thing and with just a sip, the whisky takes you back to the good old days,” said Rod. With its unique blend of rock ‘n’ roll roots, American and Scottish heritage, Wolfie’s is bringing something new to the Scotch whisky market. Distilled on the banks of Loch Lomond by an expert team with decades of whisky-making know-how and an all-Scottish team behind the brand, Wolfie’s truly has Scotland at its heart. Michael Barry, Managing Director of Barry & Fitzwilliam, has been a lifelong fan of Rod Stewart’s music and was ecstatic to have concluded a deal with Rod and his team to become the Irish distributor of Wolfie’s. The deal was agreed recently while Rod was in Cork for two sold-out concerts at the Marquee.

Zero-emissions distillery opens in Galway

Ahascragh Distillery, Ireland’s first energised zero-emissions distillery, has officially opened the doors of its state-of-the-art distillery. Built within a restored nineteenth century mill, guests will tour this state-of-the-art distillery, exploring whiskey and gin production from grain to glass and the history of an old mill. The eco-distillery is powered by renewable energy –wind, solar and coming soon, hydro, using very high temperature heat pump technology and an energy efficient storage system. As no fossil fuels or gas will be used to drive the production process, there will be no carbon emissions from the energy supply side of the distillery. As a result, the spirit to flow from Ahascragh Distillery can be classified as zero emissions, minimising the impact to the local environment.

Top athletes compete in Budweiser’s ‘Combine’

BUDWEISER, Official Beer Partner of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, has gathered some of Ireland’s top athletes from Gaelic games, rugby, soccer and AFL to take part in Budweiser Combine, a test of speed, accuracy, kicking and physical prowess. Coached by former College American Football Player and kicking coach Tadhg Leader, sports stars Andrew Conway (Ireland and Munster Rugby), Sarah Rowe (Mayo LGFA, Bohemians FC, and Collingwood AFLW) and Dean Rock (Dublin GAA) recently put their speed and kicking skills to the test against NCAA standards. Top college football teams, Notre Dame and Navy, will compete in the Aviva Stadium on August 26 in front of a sellout crowd and Budweiser is giving fans the chance to witness the spectacle of toplevel college football and win a pair of tickets to the game by buying a pint of Budweiser, visiting winwithbud.ie, and sharing a picture.

Guinness Microdraught 2.0 wins product design award

GUINNESS have been awarded the highly coveted Red Dot Product Design Award for the latest evolution of their ground-breaking, plug-and-play beer dispense technology, Guinness Microdraught 2.0. Unveiled in front of some of the world’s most celebrated product design leaders at the Red Dot Awards ceremony in Essen, Germany, Guinness Microdraught 2.0 earned special praise for “defining the next generation of dispense systems” by an independent jury compromising of international design experts. Guinness Microdraught 2.0 will debut in-pour ultrasonic dispense technology to trade venues and is the result of continuing evolution toward low-energy, low complexity dispense perfection. The Guinness team are pictured accepting the Red Dot Product Design Award.

Heineken partner with LVA and VFI in new recruitment campaign

HEINEKEN are joining forces with the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) to roll-out a new cross-industry campaign for the pub sector to attract new talent into Ireland’s on-trade and to showcase the dynamic career options on offer. Staffing remains a challenge for publicans post-Covid and this campaign intends to highlight the many invaluable, transferrable and internationally recognised skills that can be attained from working in the on-trade. The digitally led campaign is called ‘There’s no Experience like Bar Experience’ and will feature video content that will run across all major social media platforms; You Tube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and LinkedIn and on out-of-home media. Pictured

are Donall O’Keeffe, CEO of the LVA, with Aisling O’Brien, On-Trade Channel Manager, Heineken Ireland, and Padraig Cribben, CEO of the VFI.

Guaranteed Irish focus on sustainability

Owen Keogh, Head of Sustainability at Musgrave; Brian Murphy, Partner Lead, Best Managed Companies Programme and Audit & Assurance Partner, Deloitte; Emma Walls, Commercial Director at Glenisk; and Fiona Twomey, Global Retail Specialist, Bord Bia.

Reducing carbon footprint

‘CRACKING Sustainability in the Face of Rising Costs’ was the title of an event organised by Guaranteed Irish, which focused on the very real benefits to retailers, brand owners and consumers of adopting a sustainable agenda.

Three recent independent surveys carried out by Guaranteed Irish, SuperValu, and Bord Bia show that the Irish public are consciously supporting local brands, which is good news for local business and the environment.

At the ‘Cracking Sustainability…’ event, which was sponsored by SuperValu and Centra, Fiona Twomey of Bord Bia announced the results of their recent survey, which found Irish consumers remain committed to supporting locally produced food. Almost two in three buy local produce on a weekly basis, and over half expect to increase their frequency of purchase of local produce in the next six months.

The expert panel of speakers at the event in Cork included

Research carried out by Red C for 2023 confirmed that 79% of consumers who bought from Guaranteed Irish businesses believe they are supporting a sustainable economy, with 69% agreeing that buying from Guaranteed Irish businesses helped reduce carbon footprint.

A survey by SuperValu in May this year showed that 99% of shoppers buy Irish products, while 83% would be influenced to buy a product that displays the Guaranteed Irish ‘G’ symbol.

The most recent survey by Bord Bia showed that consumers are more intent on buying Irish products to support local businesses than ever.

A collective effort

Owen Keogh, Musgrave Group, Head of Sustainability, said Musgrave has invested in sustainability over many decades: “I am delighted to see so many of the Guaranteed Irish members also committed to making their businesses and products more sustainable. By harnessing our collective effort, we can really accelerate the progress made in the Irish food and drinks sector.”

Emma Walls from Glenisk said that her company’s focus on

Guaranteed Irish recently held an event focused on sustainability and the benefits of supporting local brands for brand owners, retailers and shoppers.

Pictured at the event ‘Cracking Sustainability in the Face of Rising Costs’, are Brid O’Connell, CEO, Guaranteed Irish (centre) with local producers Maurice Gilbert, Ballyhoura Apple Farm; Leonie Lynch, CEO, Juspy; Donal Rafferty, Ballyhoura Apple Farm; Hanna Backmo, founder of Hanna's Bees; Colette Twomey, MD, Clonakilty Blackpudding; and Kate Dempsey, founder and Sales Director of Kinsale Mead.

Sustainability: Supporting Local

sustainability has been a major part of its success, noting how “Our customers can have confidence that buying locally is buying sustainably from a Guaranteed Irish business.”

Brian Murphy, Deloitte Partner, spoke about of the Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, which highlighted how employees in those categories “have high expectations from business leaders and expect them to drive progress on DEI, societal impact, climate change and environmental sustainability”.

Adding to the atmosphere of the event, a number of local Cork based food and drink suppliers showcased and sampled their products. These included Kate Dempsey (Kinsale Mead), Leonie Lynch (Juspy), Maurice Gilbert (Ballyhoura Apple Farm), Colette Twomey (Clonakilty) and Hanna Backmo (Hanna’s Bees Wraps Ltd). The event concluded with Brid O’Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish, welcoming the result of all three surveys, which each highlighted the importance of collectively promoting provenance with pride.

Brid O’Connell, CEO, Guaranteed Irish (centre) is pictured with speakers and sponsors: Owen Keogh, Head of Sustainability, Musgrave; Emma Walls, Commercial Director, Glenisk; Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, Musgrave; Grainne Callanan, Head of Cork Office, Mathesons; Brian Murphy, Partner at Deloitte; and Fiona Twomey, Global Retail Specialist, Bord Bia.

What’s New

BENSON & HEDGES LAUNCH 150 YEAR ANNIVERSARY BUNDLE

BENSON & Hedges are launching 150 Year Anniversary Limited Edition Bundles, commemorating a century and a half of distinctive quality and a legacy of excellence, innovation, and the art of perfecting tobacco. The Anniversary Bundles contain the same, premium-quality tobacco that has become synonymous with the Benson & Hedges brand, enveloped in a beautifully designed, illustrative bundle that highlights the key milestones of Benson & Hedges’ illustrious journey to becoming a global icon. To join the celebrations, Benson & Hedges are offering trade customers the chance to put their knowledge to the test by answering five multiple choice questions, with the opportunity to win even more prizes, in what’s already been a very rewarding year! The Benson & Hedges Anniversary Quiz is live from July 10 to September 1. Simply scan the QR code on the Anniversary ad to find out how to enter.

MAYFAIR 40S GIGA BOX

THE Mayfair portfolio continues to grow, with the addition of ‘Giga-box’ to the Big Box family. The latest pack format contains a remarkable 40 sticks of Mayfair Original King Size cigarettes. In recent years, bigger pack formats have become a popular choice amongst existing adult smokers (JTI Longitudinal Study, April ’23) and the latest addition to Mayfair’s repertoire aims to continue this trend by providing even more convenience. The innovative Giga-box 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 the iconic brand it is today as Ireland’s number one value brand is bigger than ever (Source: Nielsen ROI Extended Scantrack, RMC SOM, MAT May 21, 2023).

TAYTO LAUNCH LIMITED EDITION

TAYTO MEANIES FLAVOUR

TAYTO have released an exciting new limited edition flavour that brings two icons together to create something spectacular. Mr. Tayto has combined the original Irish crisp texture with the unmistakable taste of Meanies pickled onion, to create an out-of-this-world new snacking experience. Mr. Tayto’s latest invention collides the worlds of crisps and snacks, reaching a whole new realm of flavourful possibilities! The limited edition Tayto Meanies pickled onion flavour is guaranteed to go down a treat with lovers of both the original crisp and the unique Meanies flavour – with fans no longer having to choose between the two for a limited time only. Fans of this fun new flavour can get involved in the meanies magic on TikTok by using ‘Mr Tayto’s Mega Mix’ sound.

NORDIC SPIRIT SPEARMINT MINI POUCHES

AS we know in the Nordics, less is more. Which is why Nordic Spirit is launching the new Nordic Spirit Spearmint Mini pouches, offering the same great flavour in a smaller pouch, with more convenience and discretion. It’s the ‘Mini Way to Nicotine’. Nordic Spirit is also available in a Slim pouch size, in the following flavours and strengths: Smooth Mint Regular, Strong and X-Strong, Spearmint Regular and Strong, Berry Citrus Regular and Strong. 18+. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance.

CUSHELLE INTRODUCES LONGER LASTING ROLLS ACROSS RANGE

FOLLOWING the successful launch of Cushelle Tubeless with Longer Lasting Rolls in June 2022, Essity are leading the category by rolling out 50% Longer Lasting Rolls across the Cushelle portfolio from June 2023. Cushelle’s Original, Quilted and Quilted Lotioned Longer Lasting Roll ranges are now available with 50% more sheets on each roll, which means shoppers run out less often and can make a more sustainable choice. “We have developed a bespoke marketing and shopper campaign throughout the full Pathto-Purchase from TV through to in-store activation, and plenty more in-between,” reveals Simon Pickering, Country Manager for Ireland, Cushelle. “We will be driving mass awareness and education to help inform shoppers, drive behavioural change in product choice and to communicate that Cushelle is leading the charge in this category change to a more convenient, more sustainable solution.”

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