Retail News
Developing the Grocery Market
IRELAND’S FMCG sector has come under the spotlight again in recent weeks, with the results of a recent survey from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, suggesting that Irish prices are 29% more expensive than the European average.
However, Ireland’s food industry hits back at these claims in our lead news story (Page 4), where Shane Dempsey, Head of Consumer Foods, Food and Drink Industry Ireland, contends that the Irish prices quoted are a year out of date, while Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association points to the higher costs along every step of the Irish supply chain as a key factor.
Elsewhere in our news section, Tom Harper, Managing Director of Nielsen Ireland, suggests that spending on food is growing for the first time in 17 months (Page 4); Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA maintains that Ireland’s Retail Planning Guidelines are successful and effective where operated and do not need repeal (Page 5); while recent figures from JTI Ireland suggest that a year after the cigarette display ban was introduced, cigarette sales in shops have dropped by 40%, with the majority of this trade moving to the black market (Page 6).
Meanwhile, Gary Desmond, CEO, Gala Retail Services, talks us through the Group’s decision to relocate their headquarters in Kill, County Kildare (Page 14), Donal Horgan, SuperValu MD, explains why the Enterprise Ireland SuperValu Supplier Development Programme is a ‘win win’ for suppliers and retailers alike (Page 16), Peter Foley, Commercial Director, ADM Londis plc, on the recent developments for the Londis group and the benefits of being retailer-owned (Page 30), and Jean Smullen looks at the 20 top-selling wines in Ireland (Page 33).
Finally, one of the first budgetary cuts in a recession is usually that of marketing and public relations, but to do so could be a grave mistake, according to Pauline Madigan, Programme Director for the Media and Public Relations degree course at the Institute of Technology, Carlow, who argues that utilising and effective public relations specialist could make the difference between success and failure on-shelf (Page 20).
Kathleen Belton,
Editorial & Marketing Director.
