Ibec anticipates the Irish economy rising by 5.4% this year, outperforming the rest of Europe. The industry group made its prediction in its Q1 Economic Outlook, in which it said a combination of favourable exchange rates, quantitative easing and lower oil prices will result in strong growth this year.
After months of lower costs for motorists, the average retail prices for both unleaded petrol and diesel have risen. According to the AA, March saw unleaded petrol rise to 136.7c and diesel rise to 129c, while price-tracking website pumps.ie shows an average price of 139.9c for unleaded and 129.9c for diesel.
A man in Thurles described himself as “freaked” after finding a spider’s nest on a banana purchased in Aldi. In a statement to The Journal, an Aldi spokesperson said they would like to apologise to their customer for any inconvenience caused and that, “All of the bananas sold in our Irish stores are supplied by Fyffes, with whom we work closely to ensure our bananas are rigorously tested to guarantee they are of the highest quality.”
'The Taste Of Success' has returned to RTÉ One, offering anyone with an original food product idea the chance to walk away with a contract with Lidl Ireland, which will put the winning product on shelves in 140 stores across Ireland. Head of communications at Lidl Ireland Aoife Clarke commented, “Lidl are delighted to be involved in season two of The Taste of Success with RTÉ. Last year we uncovered a gem of a product with Padraig’s Slow Cooked Beef Ribs, which became an immediate hit with the Irish public.”
Galway West Labour TD, Derek Nolan says limited cash services in banks are causing a big problem for Galway city retailers, especially for small businesses that rely on small cash transactions to keep afloat. As Ireland sees a shift towards online banking, some banks only accept cash two days a week, often adding charge on cash lodgements, Galway Bay FM reported.
Birds Eye has launched its 'iFreeze, iSave' campaign in the UK, encouraging shoppers to save money and reduce waste by becoming more freezer-savvy. The initiative follows reports that 1.9 million tonnes of food is wasted each year that could have been frozen or otherwise preserved for using at a later date.
The Smart Business Show in association with Vodafone takes place on the 22nd of April in Dublin’s RDS, featuring one-off panel discussion, The Retail Revolution. Attendees will be given the chance to learn how to harness technology to transform the way they run their operations, including how to drive footfall and gain key customer insights. Details are available at www.smartbusinessshow.com
Belfast tea firm Suki Tea has landed a deal to sell its Belfast Brew in M&S stores across 200 food stores in the UK. Belfast Brew is a black Irish breakfast tea made of 90% Assam from Northern India. The boutique brand has previously turned down advances from other big supermarkets, but co-founder Oscar Woolley told the Belfast Telegraph that M&S has been a target for Suki Tea since 2005.
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