Did you know… Gala Retail was the sponsor of the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, which took place at the Hennessy Gold Cup meeting at Leopardstown on Sunday 10 February? The Grade 1 race was won by Dessie Hughes' Guitar Pete, ridden by jockey Barry Geraghty. “We are delighted to have sponsored the Gala Retail Spring Juvenile Hurdle as part of the Hennessy Gold Cup Day. Gala, like horse racing, is very much part of communities throughout Ireland and therefore we saw the sponsorship as a natural fit for us,” commented Gary Desmond, Gala chief executive. Sponsorship forms an important part of Gala’s marketing mix for 2014 in order to support an increase in brand awareness.
Did you know… Beer in Ireland is cheaper than water, according to a newspaper study? The Irish Independent carried out a survey of alcohol in supermarkets as health campaigners lobby for minimum drinks prices. The survey found that in many supermarkets beer can be bought for as little as 50 cent, while water can cost three times as much. The results found wine prices start at €4 and vodka at €12.99 in some retailers. The cheapest retailers were found to be Aldi, Lidl and Tesco, where cans of lager sold for anywhere from 41 cent upwards. The Department of Health is looking at creating a framework for legislation to reduce alcohol consumption and misuse, implementing “measures to include provision for minimum unit pricing and regulation of the marketing and advertising of alcohol.”
Did you know…The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is hosting a session of ‘Breakfast Bites’, a series of free, informal breakfast meetings for food businesses on April 10th? The events are designed to assist those who work in or own a small food business and also for those who want to get their food business off the ground. Lisa O’Connor (FSAI) will outline what a Food Safety Management System is and why you must put one in place. The seminar will also focus on HACCP principles and how the legislation allows for flexibility in how they are applied. The presentations are free to attend and registration is available at www.fsai.ie
Did you know… Lidl Ireland is sponsoring the first 'Pride of Ireland' Awards? Following on from the Pride of Britain Awards, which have been running for the past 15 years, the inaugural Irish event will take place in Dublin on June 24. The Awards celebrate the truly heroic people who do extraordinary things in Irish communities. The nominations process runs until April 4, and there are eight main award categories plus a special recognition award: Lidl’s Local Hero, Fundraiser of The Year, Child of Courage, Outstanding Bravery, Emergency Services Hero, Lifetime Achievement, Teacher of The Year and the Special Recognition Award. Lidl Ireland Managing Director Brendan Proctor said, “We are extremely honoured to be sponsoring the first ever Pride of Ireland Awards. It is inspiring and incredibly heart-warming to hear of the many acts of immense bravery and courage by ordinary Irish people, who may not always receive the recognition they deserve.”
Did you know… JTI Ireland has launched a new website which it says will 'bring balance' to the plain packaging tobacco debate? The website, www.theplainfacts.ie, is dedicated to communicating information about plain packaging of tobacco products. John Freda, General Manager of JTI Ireland said, “Plain’ packaging is not as simple as it sounds. All sides of the debate should be made available to people - they deserve to understand what this proposed legislation entails.” The website shows the impact plain packaging could have on foreign investment, legitimate retailers, and the losses to the government. It also highlights the evident lack of evidence that plain packaging has had in Australia, 15 months after the introduction. Freda said, “It is difficult to reconcile this position with the proposal for Ireland to now proceed with plain packaging on its own, and in the absence of any reliable evidence of actual public health benefits.”
Did you know… The Irish Brewers Association (IBA) has welcomed a new report showing the significant contribution that the brewing sector makes to the Irish economy? The report was compiled by Ernst & Young and was launched by the Brewers of Europe. Entitled ‘The Contribution made by Beer to the European Economy’, it shows the economic impact of beer in Ireland and demonstrates that beer production and sale is attributable to 40,800 jobs and a value add of €1.3 billion, contributing €1.2 billion to Government revenue through VAT, excise and income-related contributions. David Smith, Chairman of the Irish Brewers Association and Country Director of Diageo said, “What’s truly fascinating is the tremendous impact that beer production has both directly and indirectly in terms of employment levels in the country. There is also a very significant value-added effect that beer production delivers. In 2012, the total value-add delivered by the production and sale of beer was estimated at over €1.3 billion, a significant contribution to the Irish economy in anyone’s language.”
Did you know… Tesco management is holding an Investor Day today in London, at which it is expected to update investors on its plans for its core UK business? Commenting in advance of the meeting, Clive Black of Shore Capital Stockbrokers said "The immediate future of Tesco reflects the robustness or otherwise of the UK core business. The size of the task facing management is considerable and it remains a multi-year job. However, two years into making Tesco better the sales momentum in the UK appears to be challenging. Additionally, the competitive environment now seems evermore challenging, enhancing our nervousness. [...] Outside the UK, the European business remains a challenge, to put it mildly."
Did you know… The European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO) has said that global food waste can be significantly reduced with packaging? While many would think reduced packaging could prevent food waste, FEFCO believe the adequate amount, not less should be used to protect food. FEFCO’s Secretary General, Angelika Christ, said, “Downsizing packaging makes no sense if product loss occurs as a consequence. Packaging should be optimised according to the requirements of each and every product. Sometimes increasing packaging significantly reduces impact on the environment.” FECO proposed that corrugated packaging may hold the key to keeping food fresher for longer, as it currently protects 75% of European goods in transit.
Did you know… Dublin prime retail rents have dropped 60% in the last seven years? A CBRE report shows that Dublin is now the 44th most expensive city in the world, as prime locations in they city have fallen since the property crash. Dublin once held a top 10 position globally. CBRE said, “While discount retailers were the most active occupiers over the last number of years, we expect to see more high-profile retail brands coming to the fore during 2014. In addition to existing retailers expanding and relocating, we expect to see several new retailers making their Irish debut this year, as international retailers increasingly focus attention on Ireland.” CBRE said that prime high streets and major shopping centres accounted for the greatest proportion of activity in the retail property market last year, but it is expected that this momentum will filter down to secondary streets and provincial locations to some degree during 2014.
Did you know… Ardagh Glass is expecting offers on its Budweiser beer-bottling unit? The packaging company is working with Citigroup to offload the majority of its American bottle-to-jam jar division, which it bought for $892 million two years ago. So far, the company has attracted interest from private equity and strategic investors, but a number of issues must be ironed out first. Ardagh’s six factories have not yet been valued and the company is facing objections from the Federal Trade Commission over its proposed $1.7 billion takeover of French rival Saint-Gobain’s American subsidiary. Any disposal of its US assets would be aimed at assuaging concerns over antitrust issues.
Did you know… Tesco Ireland has recalled its Tesco ‘Free From’ Chocolate Digestive biscuits as they contain undeclared soya and milk? The allergen information is not listed on the label of the implicated Tesco ‘Free From’ Digestive Biscuits and may be unsafe for those consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of milk, soya or their constituents. No other Tesco products are known to be affected, according to the Food Standards Authority of Ireland.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Genna Patterson
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