Retail News November 25

WITH the Christmas season now officially started, you’re welcome to the latest edition of Retail News, your premier source for the latest insights, trends, and innovations in the FMCG retail industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer, we bring you the news analysis and thought leadership that helps shape the future of retail.

Inside, you will find the annual Retail News Christmas Stocking special report, a guide to the products and brands guaranteed to excite your customers this festive season (Page 32). As awards season is also in full swing, we report from the Gala Retail Annual Conference and Awards (Page 18), the Blas na hÉireann Awards (Page 28), and the ECR Ireland Awards (Page 68), while in a thoughtprovoking interview, Safefood’s Dr Aileen McGloin discusses why we need to fundamentally change our food environment (Page 12).

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, our insights offer a valuable perspective for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in today’s competitive market.

We hope this edition of Retail News, equips you with the knowledge to thrive in a dynamic retail environment.

Contents

2

Retailers call for investigation into skyhigh energy costs.

3 Pride of Centra Awards presented.

4 Irish shoppers spend an additional €67.6 million on groceries; Kevin Dundon wins lifetime achievement award.

5 Lidl wins top prize at Repak Resource Awards; Heineken Ireland focus on moderation.

6 Revamp for Riordan’s SuperValu in Fermoy; Coca-Cola HBC to expand Lisburn production facility.

7 National Lottery regulator publishes annual report; Fyffes recognised for ESG leadership.

Retail News Interview

12 As a society, we need to change our food environment to make healthier choices easier for people, argues Dr Aileen McGloin, Director of Nutrition with Safefood.

Gala Retail Annual Conference

18 The Gala Retail annual conference in Killarney featured a host of inspiring speakers and also revealed the winners of Gala Retail’s Excellence Awards.

GS1 Ireland

22

QR codes powered by GS1 are changing how consumers interact with products, but they also need to be easily read and processed by retail POS systems ahead of ‘Ambition 2027’.

Nordic Spirit Max

26 Nordic Spirit has unveiled the latest addition to its evolving portfolio, Frosty Berry Max.

Blas na hÉireann 2025

28 Blas na hÉireann recently announced this year’s winners in Dingle.

Christmas Stocking Special Report

32 Your guide to the products set to soar this festive season, from chocolates to Champagne, while Cormac Healy, Drinks Ireland, reflects on the domestic drinks market ahead of the busy Christmas season.

Packaging

58 David Little, Chair of The Irish Packaging Society, explains why we need to think differently about how and what we consume as a society.

Retail Fraud

66 Fraudsters thrive on distraction and goodwill. The best defence is awareness, preparation and secure payment practices.

ECR Ireland Conference and Awards

68 The ECR Conference and Awards 2025 highlighted some of the most innovative and effective FMCG consumer marketing campaigns of the year.

Employment Law

73 Navigating fixed-term employment contracts: legal insights for employers.

Yule be Great

Retailers call for investig sky-high energy costs

RGDATA has written a letter to the Cost of Business Advisory Forum, a group led by the Department of Enterprise, calling for an investigation at both national and European level into Ireland’s high energy prices. The association claims it was initially “dismissed” after raising the subject with the Forum earlier this year, only for its concerns to be validated by a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) released in October.

The IEA, a Paris-based organisation that provides policy recommendations and is made up of 32 EU member countries, found that Ireland has one of the highest gaps in the world between the cost of electricity production and the prices it is sold for. The report, titled ‘Renewables 2025 Analysis and Forecasts to 2030’, also stated that Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe: “The disparity in Ireland was the largest, with the energy component of retail prices three times higher than wholesale prices”.

Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General, told Retail News the report confirmed what she already knew: “We think that report backs up what we've been saying based on what our members were telling us.” Earlier this year, RGDATA called for an investigation into competition in the energy sector at an in-person meeting of the Forum, which was “basically ignored” by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission [CCPC] and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities [CRU].

“We were dismissed about the need for any type of investigation. CCPC and CRU said there was no necessity for any investigation into energy prices in Ireland,” Buckley noted.

RGDATA’s letter to Kevin Foley, Forum Chairperson, requests “the IEA Report be referred to both the CCPC and the CRU to seek their response on the specific measures that are required to reduce energy costs in Ireland. Given the inaction of the domestic regulators on energy costs, there might also be some advantage in seeking the views of the EU Commission on Irish energy costs in the context of the broader EU economy.”

According to the IEA report, Irish consumers pay an average of €0.33/kWh

for electricity energy, the highest rate of all EU countries. “Just 10 years ago, if you asked the average retailer their concerns about the costs of business, energy and the price of electricity would be far down the list,” said Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA. “We are at the mercy of companies who are either unbelievably inefficient or very calculating. Energy company profit margins and windfalls never seem to be done with the benefit of the consumer.

It's not good enough to believe that because we're on an island that everything is more expensive.”

At a recent

Jennings, CEO, CSNA.

meeting of the Responsible Business Forum, another body hosted by the Department of Enterprise, RGDATA described retail’s investment in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “A lot of our members put doors on fridges, installed LED lighting. They've invested in solar panels and other types of sustainable energy and reduced their energy consumption, some of them significantly. One member told me recently he's got his

energy consumption down by 30%. Yet energy bills continue to rise,” Buckley said.

Buckley confessed to having “frustrations” around the effectiveness of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum, which met for the first time in June, 2025, under the auspices of Enterprise Minister Peter Burke TD. Regulators, including ESB and Gas Networks Ireland, attend alongside business owners. However, the Forum has a long-term outlook, which is in conflict with the short term needs of retailers, claims RGDATA.

“One of the frustrations of the Forum process is we won't have a report until sometime in 2026. Business costs are not going to be addressed until the final report. That's another six months paying abnormally high energy prices at a time when it's been pointed out by an independent EU body that our prices are out of sync with everywhere else in Europe,” Buckley argued. She contends the Forum allows Government to “distance itself from the daily realities facing businesses. They bat everything into forums. We need immediate action.”

RGDATA’s letter to the Forum calls for the sectoral regulator and competition enforcer, CRU and CCPC, to take an “active approach” in combating high energy costs.

“It appears that they are prepared to take at face value what they're told by the energy companies,” Buckley continued. “They don't drill down and find out why our energy companies cannot pass on changes

Vincent

ation into Pride of Centra Awards presented

in wholesale prices.”

Vincent Jennings concurred: “They're not being sufficiently authoritarian in demanding better accountability and better pricing. Bring in international consultants because sometimes the CCPC take the information that's given to them by others and don't necessarily forensically query it.”

Tara Buckley, RGDATA Director General.

Retailers continue to battle multiple costs of business, including high insurance premiums. At a recent Alliance for Insurance Reform meeting, CSNA and other representative organisations discussed the nation’s “marginal reductions in price” despite sweeping reforms to the sector, and the need for insurance companies to start passing on profits.

There was light on the horizon for cash-strapped retailers, however, when Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, announced his decision to defer any change to sub-minimum wage rates until 2029. Currently, the minimum wage in Ireland is €13.50 (which will increase to €14.15 per hour from January 1, 2026), but lower rates are in place for younger workers: €12.15 for anyone aged between 19 and 20; €10.80 for workers over 18; and €9.45 for those under 18.

Grocery and convenience retailers often employ young staff and students. “It’s an opportunity for young people to get their first job. We're training these young adults in terms of customer experience and dealing with the public and having a good work ethic,” notes Buckley.

Jennings points out that other laws preclude young workers from specific retail tasks: a person aged under-18, for example, cannot sell alcohol, cigarettes or vapes, and cannot work certain hours under the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act. Thus it stands to reason they are on a different pay category, he suggested.

Ireland’s sub-minimum rates had been under review by the Low Pay Commission until Minister Burke decided to defer the matter until the end of the decade.

Pictured are (back row): Cormac Dawson, Centra Sales Director, with Elzbieta Kowalska, Sarah O'Reilly, Alan Jordan, Vinny Perth, Paul Thornton, Ger Thornton, Josh Thornton, Luke Hanlon, Centra Managing Director, Imran Afridi Khan, Alison Nascimento and Abedin Mohammed, along with (front row) Jennifer Zamparelli and Unurerdene Pagvajav.

JORDAN’S Centra Tallaght and Thornton's Centra Drumcondra have been jointly awarded the prestigious title of ‘National Centra Store of the Year’, officially recognised as Ireland’s top Centra stores for 2025. For the first time ever, two stores have been awarded the prestigious accolade, following an exceptionally close competition and the outstanding performance of both locations across all evaluation categories - making it impossible to select a single winner.

Commended by the judges for their transformational store designs, innovative customer experience , exceptional sales growth, and strong connections to their local communities, both Jordan's Centra Tallaght and Thornton's Centra Drumcondra are best-in-class examples of what a Centra store can achieve.

The Store of the Year award, presented at the Pride of Centra Awards, celebrates and recognises the very best of Centra stores, their people, and their outstanding commitment to retail excellence, honouring the exceptional standards that make Centra one of the leading convenience retailers in the country.

Other winners on the night included Victory’s Centra Dunleer winning in the Neighbourhood category and O'Toole's Centra Tullow winning in the High-Convenience category.

Luke Hanlon, Managing Director, Centra said the winning stores’ “expertise, excellence and unwavering commitment elevate convenience retailing to a world-class level. These stores reflect everything Centra stands for - fresh food, friendly service and genuine community connection. The winning teams set the benchmark for convenience retail in Ireland, showing how independent stores can make a powerful national impact. This recognition is a true mark of excellence within our industry - well done to all involved.”

Cormac Dawson, Sales Director, Centra, added: "The Pride of Centra awards highlight the remarkable dedication and innovation shown by both stores. It’s a celebration of passion, creativity and going the extra mile every day. Their focus on quality, service, and community sets them apart and showcases the very best of Centra nationwide."

Irish shoppers spend an additional €67.6 million on groceries

THE latest take-home grocery sales in Ireland rose by 6.1% in the four weeks to 5 October 2025, indicating that shoppers are back in the swing of work and school routines, according to the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator. During October, shoppers spent an additional €67.6 million on groceries, picking up more volume per trip, up 1.8% compared to last year.

Grocery price inflation is now at its highest level since December 2023, standing at 6.5%. Irish shoppers, however, are getting ready for a golden period of spending, with both Halloween and the festive season.

“The next few weeks is a busy time for shoppers. But with the latest budget for 2026 being announced against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, there will be more pressure on shoppers and it may have an impact on their discretionary spending,” noted Emer Healy, Business Development Director at Worldpanel by Numerator. “The end of one-off payments such as the energy credit and double child benefit, along with rising fuel and other household costs, will put extra pressure on many families, especially as tax bands remain unchanged and some credits are no longer available.

“With Christmas fast approaching and many starting their shopping early to help spread the cost, households will be looking to balance multiple considerations when deciding what groceries to buy and where. With prices still rising, cost is naturally a top priority and will continue to be as we step into 2026.”

Spending on promotional offers has climbed to 21.9% value share in the market, the highest level seen since this June as shoppers look for ways to stretch their budgets. Promotional activity typically intensifies in the lead-up to the festive season, so this trend is likely to persist into December. Spending on promotion jumped by 10.2% over the latest 12 weeks, outpacing the total market (+6.2%).

“Shoppers are increasingly relying on promotions to offset rising costs, resulting in an additional €71.5 million spent compared to the same period last year,” Emer Healy said. “As budgets tighten, it will be interesting to see how this will affect shoppers’ spending habits and the contents of their shopping baskets.”

Over the last three years there has been a big jump in indulgent categories’ sales on promotions, with chocolate, soft drinks and biscuits all growing on promotion, up 62%, 60% and 30% respectively versus 2022. Overall, Irish shoppers are spending €145 million more on promotions than they were two years ago.

While brands have grown behind the total market, with growth slowing to 4.9% in the last 12-week period, Irish shoppers still spent an additional €79.3 million on branded products.

Own label saw stronger growth at 6.3%, with premium own label continuing to be the standout performer, up 15.2%. Shoppers

Kevin Dundon wins lifetime achievement award

IRISH celebrity chef, TV personality, food author and MD of Dunbrody Country House, Kevin Dundon was recognised with a lifetime achievement award at the 30th annual Listowel Food Fair for his significant contribution to Ireland’s food sector.

Listowel Food Fair Chairperson and former Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Jimmy Deenihan said: “We are not just celebrating his remarkable career, we are honouring his passion, dedication and contributions to elevating Irish food to the highest of standards.”

spent nearly €18.2 million extra on these ranges. Premium own label lines saw a boost in alcohol (+31%), frozen (+31%) and sweet spreads (+43%) over the last 12 weeks. Growth also came through standard own label, with sales up 5.6% versus last year.

Brands currently hold 47.6% value share of the total market, while own label holds 46.5% value share.

Online continued to grow, but at a slower rate compared to last month, up 1.2% year-on-year to take 5.6% value share of the market. Shoppers spent an additional €2.5 million online during the period, helped by an influx of new customers, who contributed €2.4 million to overall performance. Over 18% of Irish households bought their groceries online during this time.

Dunnes hold 24.4% market share, up on the last 12-week period, with sales growth of 6.2% year-on-year. Larger trips contributed an additional €5.1 million to their overall performance.

Tesco maintain 23.7% of the market, with value growth of 7.1% year-on-year. Shoppers increased their trips to stores by 0.8% and, together with new shoppers, contributed an additional €27.3 million to the grocer’s overall performance.

SuperValu hold 19.2% of the market with growth of 4.6%. Consumers made the most shopping trips to this grocer, averaging 23.9 trips over the latest 12 weeks. The increase in shopping trips contributed an additional €1.6 million to their performance.

Lidl hold 14.1% of the market, with growth of 9.2%, the fastest growth among all retailers once again. Lidl also saw shoppers pick up more volume in store, up 1.7%, contributing an additional €7.5 million to overall performance.

Aldi claim 11.4% market share, up 4.1%. Increased store trips and new shoppers drove an additional €8.8 million in sales.

Chairperson Jimmy Deenihan and committee member Mairead Moriarty present Kevin Dundon with the Listowel Food Fair 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lidl win top prize at Repak Resource Awards

LIDL were announced as the winner of the prestigious Overall Repak Resource Award at the Repak Resource Awards 2025, Ireland’s National Environmental Awards. The event held at The Shelbourne Hotel brought together leaders from across Ireland’s business, environmental, and community sectors to celebrate the positive impact of environmental initiatives all across Ireland.

The Repak Resource Awards, formerly known as the Pakman Awards, are Ireland’s National Environmental Awards and recognise exceptional achievements in waste prevention, recycling, reuse, circular design, and community-led environmental initiatives.

Lidl were honoured with the top award, Overall Repak Resource Award, for their leadership and impact in advancing Ireland’s recycling and circular economy goals. Each category winner is eligible for the Overall Repak Resource Award, which celebrates outstanding achievements in recycling, waste management, innovation, and grassroots environmental action.

Lidl were also the recipient of the Best Deposit Return Initiative Award, acknowledging their pioneering role in supporting and implementing Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Lidl committed to an early investment of €50 million for deposit return and implemented a customer-first rollout, featuring two reverse vending machines per store. The retailer’s innovations, including bulk deposit return machines, efficient backhauling, and the integration of charity donations, have set new standards in sustainable retail operations. To date, more than 300 million containers have been returned through Lidl’s scheme, marking a major milestone in Ireland’s circular economy journey.

Lidl’s achievement reflects the spirit of ‘resource’, showcasing how businesses can innovate, lead, and inspire change through practical sustainability in action. Their success, alongside the 12 other category winners, highlights how Irish organisations are rethinking how resources are used, reused, and valued. From community-led initiatives to circular design breakthroughs, this year’s winners demonstrate the creativity and leadership driving Ireland’s transition to a more resource-conscious future.

The Best Single-Use Plastic Initiative Award was won by

Heineken Ireland focus on

at the Repak Resource Awards are Colin Walsh,

Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of Repak.

Glenpatrick Spring Water Ltd & Kilkenny Nutritional Ltd, while the ESG Leader Award went to Jason Carolan from Aldi Ireland.

The Repak Resource Awards introduced two new categories this year, the Circular Community Award, which was won by FoodCloud, and the Circular Design Award, which went to An Post, celebrating the innovation and impact of communities and designers driving Ireland’s transition to a circular economy.

Alan Dillon TD, Minister for State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment with special responsibility for the Circular Economy, said that the winners’ achievements are “a powerful reminder that innovation and the drive to do things better are thriving across every sector of society. The work you do is paving the way for a more circular economy, delivering lasting benefits for our communities, our businesses, and our environment.”

Repak CEO, Zoe Kavanagh said the standard of entrants, finalists, and winners was truly exceptional, “reflecting best practice recycling, waste management, circular design, and grassroots environmental action”.

moderation

HEINEKEN Ireland are tackling social stigma around moderation and drinking culture in Ireland, and the results are clear: plenty has been done, but there’s more to do.

As the market leader in the non-alcohol category with Heineken 0.0, Heineken are focused on building and elevating the brand. Since launching Heineken 0.0 in Ireland in 2018, Heineken have invested more than €30 million in the alcohol-free category and now hold a market share of over 43%.

A new report and accompanying video series, ‘Always a Choice: How Socialising is Changing in Ireland’, explores how shifting consumer mindsets are reshaping social norms, and mindful enjoyment is reshaping Irish drinking habits. The video series features three champions of moderation: Greg O’Shea, Irish Olympian; Laura Willoughby, MBE, Founder of Club Soda UK; and Ali Dunworth, Author of A Compendium of Irish Pints.

“Moderation is no longer a fringe movement; it’s a cultural reset and a clear trend in Ireland,” said Fiona Curtin, Marketing Director at Heineken Ireland. “Irish consumers are choosing options depending on mood, occasion, and overall lifestyle and

we’re proud to champion that shift through our full portfolio. Moderation isn’t just a message - it’s a mindset that’s here to stay.”

pictured as part of Heineken Ireland's 'Always a Choice' campaign.

Laura Willoughby, Ali Dunworth and Greg O'Shea,

Pictured

Hugh McAfee, Dennis Spiegel and Jillian Hughes from Lidl Ireland, winner of the Overall Repak Resource Award, alongside

Revamp for Riordan’s SuperValu in Fermoy

RIORDAN’S SuperValu Fermoy has officially reopened its newly revamped store following a €3.5 million investment. The extensive revamp delivers an enhanced shopping experience for customers, with key offerings such as the bakery and deli counters relocated to the front of the store.

The Fermoy store is proudly celebrating its 60th year in business and is a third-generation family enterprise. The late John Riordan first opened the shop in 1965 on Fermoy’s Main Street, before relocating to its current Courthouse Road premises in 1985. Today, the store is owned by Michael Riordan and managed by his two sons, Jeff and Ian, and together they continue his father’s legacy, with a strong focus on community and local partnerships.

Riordan’s SuperValu Fermoy employs 120 people and takes great pride in its support of local producers, stocking Gleeson potatoes, Kildinan Farm salads, Strawhall Eggs, Shalong Thai Sauces, TLC Gluten Free Meals, and Hanleys Puddings, as well as products from Food Academy producers and local fruit and vegetable suppliers. As part of the celebrations, three colleagues, Jim Cotter, Angela Walsh, and Sally Morrison, who were part of the business when it opened in 1965, took part in the ribbon cutting.

The new look SuperValu store will enhance the shopper experience and will now offer additional ranges like the Bare Pantry, Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen, and The Happy Pear. The store will also offer an extended range of eco-friendly products, and new and exciting Italian pasta, meats and sauces. Shoppers can also look forward to SuperValu’s Signature Tastes range and expanded own brand range, providing even more high-quality and value-for-money options.

Sustainability has been a central focus as Riordan’s SuperValu Fermoy carried out revamp works, with the team going to

extensive lengths to be as environmentally conscious as possible.

Energy efficient refrigeration and LED lighting are within the store’s new innovative design. It is expected that measures will lead to a 16% reduction in energy consumption across the premises.

Pictured are Martha Riordan, with store owner Michael Riordan, Jim Cotter, and Ian Riordan. Jim Cotter cut the ribbon at the unveiling, having been manager of Riordan's SuperValu Fermoy for over 16 years and was part of the business when it was first opened in 1965 by Michael's late father, John Riordan.

“We are delighted that the revamp of our store has coincided with the 60th anniversary of the shop opening back in 1965,” said store owner Michael Riordan. “Over the years, our store has evolved exponentially, with each generation leaving a different and positive legacy. We look forward to welcoming our customers to our newly revamped store and hope they enjoy the enhanced shopping experience that this project has strived for.”

Coca-Cola HBC to expand Lisburn production facility

COCA-COLA HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland have announced a £26 million (€29.5 million) investment into their Knockmore Hill production facility in Lisburn, Co. Antrim.

The investment will see the creation of a new high-speed recycled plastic bottling line. Due to be operational by May 2026, the new line will produce 500ml bottles at a rate of 65,000 per hour and over 36,000 2-litre bottles per hour.

All bottles produced on site will be made from 100% recycled plastic, following the transition to the use of only recycled material in 2024.

This is the largest single investment since the production facility opened in 2008, representing the next stage of development of the Knockmore Hill site.

The announcement of the new recycled plastic bottling line highlights the Coca-Cola system’s continued investment in Ireland and Northern Ireland. As the strategic bottling partner to the Coca-Cola Company for the island of Ireland, Coca-Cola HBC produces the full portfolio of Coca-Cola soft drinks that are sold across the island of Ireland, as well as the local Deep RiverRock range of waters and flavoured waters.

“Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, and Northern Ireland is a growth focused business, firmly rooted in our local communities. This new investment is a perfect example of how we are continuing to look to the future as we expand and increase our commitment

Simon Fitzpatrick, General Manager of Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, announces a £26 million investment in the Knockmore Hill facility to enhance sustainable production with a new recycled plastic bottling line.

to Northern Ireland,” said Simon Fitzpatrick, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland. “The new bottling line will make our manufacturing abilities even more agile, supporting our production facility in becoming the industry leader in supply chain excellence, and ensuring we continue to evolve to meet our customer needs.”

National Lottery regulator publishes annual report

THE Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery (ORNL) has published its 2024 Annual Report, detailing the regulatory oversight, reforms, and innovations implemented over the last year in the interests of a safe, sustainable, and properly run National Lottery.

The Regulator of the National Lottery was appointed in November 2014 as a result of new structures introduced by the National Lottery Act 2013. Over the last 10 years, the Regulator’s Office has been proactive in ensuring the National Lottery meets the highest standards of regulation, that the games are fairly and transparently run, vulnerable players and non-players are protected, and this vital State asset continues to prosper and provide the highest return possible to Good Causes. This has been achieved through the creation of robust regulatory reporting systems, the carrying out of in-depth research and investigations, and the introduction of innovative reforms.

Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery.

ID verification online, creating transparency in the odds of winning in each game, and approving new format games with appropriate safeguards. Our Office has also been proactive in holding the Operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), to account when it has breached the Licence, withholding funds in serious cases, to ensure players are protected and the long-standing reputation of the National Lottery is not diminished.”

In 2024, the Regulator’s Office commissioned its second underage mystery shop, following an initial exercise in 2018. This latest mystery shop examined the retail sector’s compliance with rules governing the sale of National Lottery products to under-18s. It tested whether the measures taken by PLI were sufficient to prevent children purchasing National Lottery products. While the results show significant progress has been made since 2018, with most retailers challenging test purchasers (71%, up from 63%) and displaying “18+” signage (92%, up from 73%), the proportion not implementing the rules properly remains unacceptable. The Regulator has required PLI to act to increase awareness of and compliance with the law by retailers.

“We will work with PLI and retailers to build on the progress made to date and adopt a zero-tolerance attitude towards the sale of age-restricted products to children,” said Carol Boate.

“2024 was a milestone year for the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery,” said Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery. “It marked the tenth full year of the regulation of the National Lottery under the National Lottery Act 2013 and of the establishment of the Regulator’s Office. It was an appropriate juncture not just to look back over the achievements of the last decade, of which there have been many, but to look forward to the role of the Office in the future.

“We are proud of the many innovative reforms we have championed over the last decade, including securing mandatory

After two years of declining sales from the extraordinary performance during the Covid years of 2020 and 2021, National Lottery sales for 2024 increased by 3.2% compared to 2023. Sales of National Lottery tickets reached €855.7 million compared to 2023’s €829.4 million. Sales for draw based games were €540.1 million (2023: €531.5 million), while sales for instant games (scratch card games and interactive instant win games) were €315.6 million (2023: €297.9 million).

Returns generated for Good Causes amounted to €239.3 million for 2024, which represented 28% of sales, while €487.6 million was won in prizes, representing 57% of sales in 2024.

Fyffes recognised for ESG leadership

GLOBAL banana and fruit producer, Fyffes have been recognised for their ‘leadership, innovation, investment, and ingenuity’ in the fields of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) at the Business Post Leadership Awards ceremony, which took place in Dublin recently.

Present to receive the award on behalf of the entire Fyffes organisation in Ireland, Latin America and other countries worldwide in which the company has a presence was its Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Caoimhe Buckley, who herself was honoured with the ‘ESG Leader of the Year Award’ 2025.

“Our goal at Fyffes is always to be at the forefront of sustainability innovation,” said Caoimhe Buckley, adding “we have a continued commitment to achieving this across all aspects of our global operations.”

The Business Post Leadership Awards, in its second year, honours ‘visionary executives, rising leaders, and changemakers’ who demonstrate innovation, integrity, and have influence in their fields. Through the awards ceremony, the aim is to celebrate success and encourage a culture of purpose-driven leadership that empowers future generations.

Fyffes Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Caoimhe Buckley (centre) was honoured with the ‘ESG Leader of the Year Award’ 2025 at the Business Post Leadership Awards ceremony in Dublin. Pictured celebrating with her are members of the Fyffes team and sustainability partners.

Aldi open 165th store and serve one billionth customer

ALDI Ireland opened their newest store in Monaghan recently, creating 30 new permanent jobs in the county. The new €14 million store is Aldi’s 165th store in Ireland and second store in County Monaghan. The store opening also coincided with a major milestone for the retailer, as Aldi Ireland served their one billionth customer and Monaghan native, Colleen Mc Crudden, since first opening their doors to shoppers in 1999. The lucky shopper was presented with a year's worth of free shopping to mark the occasion. The new store was officially opened by the local Aldi team, including Managing Director of Operations Ireland, Colin Breslin, and store manager John Leather, alongside TD for Cavan-Monaghan & Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Niamh Smyth, former Irish rugby player, Conor Murray, and Women’s Irish rugby player, Linda Djougang.

Spar and Eurospar win Digital Media Award

SPAR and Eurospar claimed the Gold Medal Award for Best Use of Content/Native Award at the 22nd annual Digital Media Awards for their impactful ‘Breast Before Dates’ campaign. The public awareness campaign was launched in conjunction with the retailers’ charity partner, National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI), in January 2025. The initiative cleverly leveraged a common consumer shopping habit, checking Best Before dates on food packaging, to promote a life-saving behaviour - regular breast self-checks. By embedding health messaging into everyday consumer behaviour, Spar and Eurospar created a campaign that was not only innovative and engaging but also deeply impactful. Claire O’Brien, Eurospar Marketing Manager, is pictured accepting the award.

Fyffes launch new banana campaign

McHugh’s Centra Edenmore celebrates 63 years in business

‘EAT ‘em… Like ‘em… Love ‘em’ is the ‘call to action’ devised by global fruit grower and importer Fyffes, as the world’s first-ever fruit label launch their latest brand awareness campaign designed to put their bananas in the Irish spotlight. This multi-media campaign across print, digital, social, radio, outdoor, bus sides, point-ofsale and electronic display - with further activations planned for autumn, winter and into 2026 - was created to highlight Fyffes position as one of Ireland’s most iconic food names, a brand that’s been part of everyday life for well over a century. “Fyffes is about more than bananas. It’s about joy, nostalgia, and a little mischief,” said Emma Hunt-Duffy, Head of Marketing for Ireland. “This campaign is our way of putting Fyffes front and centre, bringing levity into a serious world and reminding people why they’ve always loved our brand and our fruit.”

McHUGH’S, a proud family-run business now in its third generation, is celebrating 63 years of service in the community, with the recent announcement of a revamp of its Centra Edenmore store. The family business began their relationship with Musgrave in 1997, opening their first Centra in Edenmore the following year in March 1998. This was followed by Centra Rosemount (1999), Greendale (2000), and Kilbarrack Road (2003), cementing the group’s reputation as a key local retailer and employer. The McHugh Group was founded in 1962 by Gerry McHugh and his two brothers Joe and Danny. “The McHugh Group has been a trusted and successful partner for Musgrave since we started working together in 1997,” said Luke Hanlon, Managing Director, Centra. “The latest revamp of their Centra Edenmore store shows their determination to continue improving and delivering for the local community. They are a fantastic exemplar of Centra’s community retail ethos. The fact that they are a multi-generational business is testament to the foundations established from the beginning, and the values of the business have been passed down through the generations. I would like to wish them every success in the years to come.” Pictured are Luke Hanlon, Managing Director, Centra, with Diarmuid McHugh, Cathal McHugh, and Cormac Dawson, Sales Director, Centra.

Tesco Ireland back beef sustainability initiative

TESCO have announced their sponsorship of the ABP Bull Improvement Initiative, a pioneering new programme designed to enhance sustainability and efficiency in Irish beef production. Developed as part of the ABP Advantage Beef Programme, the initiative provides financial support to Irish family farms to purchase superior bulls with high genetic merit. The goal is to improve herd performance and reduce environmental impact. Tesco will contribute €20,000 annually for two years, supporting the initiative’s mission to deliver more sustainable beef products backed by science. Pictured are (l-r): Charles Smith, General Manager, Certified Irish Angus; Kathryn Roche, Account Manager, ABP; Dermot McGrath, Technical Manager, Tesco Ireland; Tracey McDermott, Head of Quality, Technical and Sustainability, Tesco Ireland; and Stephen Connolly, Agri Sustainability Manager, ABP.

Barretstown and Dealz launch special ‘Bag for Life’

BARRETSTOWN, Ireland’s largest provider of therapeutic camps and programmes for children with cancer and other serious illnesses, have teamed up with Dealz to launch a special Bag for Life designed by 13-year-old Owen Heffernan, from Ballinteer, Co. Dublin. Owen, whose sibling Dylan attended Barretstown camps, created a heartwarming design featuring two family members holding hands, symbolising love, connection, and the supportive community that Barretstown fosters. The new Bag for Life is available in Dealz stores nationwide, at a cost of €1.50, with proceeds directly supporting Barretstown’s work in restoring the lives of children and families affected by serious illness. Pictured are Thomas Macken, Dealz, with Dylan and Owen Heffernan, outside the Dealz store in Nutgrove Retail Park.

Lidl open new Killorglin store in Kerry

LIDL opened the doors to their state-of-the-art store in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, on Thursday, November 13, expanding the retailer’s store network to eight in the county and bringing the retailer’s ‘More to Value’ proposition to the Killorglin community. Kerry ladies Gaelic football star and Lidl ambassador Siofra O’Shea joined the Lidl Killorglin store team, including Kim Kerins, Sales Operations Director at Lidl Ireland, and Kate Lewis, Lidl Killorglin Store Manager, to officially cut the ribbon. The new Killorglin store reflects Lidl’s established ‘concept’ design and features a spacious 1,398 square metre sales floor area, offering a premier shopping experience for customers, including self-service checkouts, long tills, and the popular instore bakery offering fresh baked goods daily.

Bringing soapland to Centra

CENTRA are bringing deli life to the small screen with the launch of ‘Centra Deli Drama’. It’s Ireland’s newest soap-opera inspired ‘dramedy’, exclusively created for social media and bringing the entertainment and true ‘Irishness’ of community life to audiences everywhere. Written by comedian and actress Sharon Mannion (Young Offenders, Bridget & Eamon), Centra Deli Drama stars Jennifer Zamparelli (who also collaborated on the writing of the series) and Cheryl Fergison of EastEnders fame, alongside a cast of familiar Irish faces and surprise cameo guests appearing in each episode - from a famous Father Ted priest (Neil McCaul A.K.A Father Terry) to Paudie Moloney (The Paudfather), the breakout star from RTÉ’s The Traitors Ireland. Filmed in Centra’s Drumcondra store in Dublin and featuring Centra deli staff and a star-studded line-up of performers including Amanda Stewart (Young Offenders/ Hardy Bucks), Carl McGuire (Penny Dreadful), Sorcha Morgan (Fair City), Job Ouenu (Vikings) and David Nulty (The Tudors), the series celebrates what Centra is best known for - its people, quality deli food and playful Irish spirit.

John West and SuperValu celebrate Cork winner

ALL Star and John West Féile Ambassador, Cork hurler Patrick Horgan’s retirement has been in the news, but he was on hand as Eoin O’Connor was named a winner in the John West Féile 10-year anniversary in-store competition with SuperValu at their Carrigaline store. Eoin won a €250 SuperValu shopping voucher and €500 for Carrigaline GAA. Patrick was there to the present the prizes. John West supports players and families with convenient, healthy products for lunches and snacks.

Pictured are (l-r): Anne Claire Monde, Head of Marketing, John West Ireland; Sebastien Giraud, Country Director, John West Ireland; Cork hurling legend Patrick Horgan; Philip O’Reilly, Carrigaline GAA; Eoin O’Connor, winner; and Shane McCarthy, store manager.

SuperValu customers raise over €100,000 for AsIAm through DRS

SUPERVALU customers nationwide have raised over €100,000 for AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity, by donating their Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) vouchers.

SuperValu have become the first retailer in Ireland to reach this milestone through the DRS initiative, reflecting both the generosity of customers and the positive impact of community action. Since the launch of the DRS initiative last year, over 424 million containers have been recycled across 577 SuperValu and Centra stores, making SuperValu and Centra the largest retail group participating in the scheme. Through the simple act of returning bottles and cans, SuperValu customers have chosen to donate their vouchers, directly contributing to AsIAm’s mission to build a more inclusive Ireland for Autistic people and their families.

“This €100,000 milestone – the first of its kind by any retailer in Ireland – reflects the positive change that can happen when we all come together, helping both our planet and our people,” said Luke Hanlon, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra, pictured with Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm.

Cheesetake tops Irish dessert wishlists

Meade Farm celebrates awards for sustainability and family farming

MEADE Farm, the Meath-based agribusiness specialising in the growing and packing of fresh produce, are celebrating winning two major honours at the Green Transformation Awards, the Food and Beverage Award and the Large Organisation Award, as well as being named Farming Family of the Year at the Family Business Awards 2025. “From renewable energy to soil health and biodiversity corridors, our goal is to keep improving and to show that sustainable farming can go hand in hand with growth and innovation,” said Jeni Meade, Sustainability Manager. Pictured are (l-r): judge Rhonda Doyle, Country President of Schneider Electric, presenting the Food and Beverage award to Eleanor Meade, Business Operations Manager, and Jeni Meade, Sustainability Manager of Meade Farm.

NEW research from BWG Foods reveals that Cheescake is Ireland's most popular choice for Christmas dessert, with Sticky Toffee Pudding another firm festive favourite, while Apple Pie is at the bottom of the pile. The survey, released to celebrate the launch of the BWG Foodservice Christmas Brochure 2025, also revealed that when it comes to the main event, Turkey and Ham still reign supreme, but younger diners are looking to shake things up, with over half of Gen Z say they’d prefer something different on the menu for their Christmas dinner when eating out. The research also shows that Irish people plan to dine out three times on average over the festive season, making restaurants and hotels a key part of their holiday celebrations. BWG Foodservice’s new Christmas Brochure is packed with festive favourites like turkey butterfly, whole hams, and G’s Gourmet Cranberry Sauce, plus comforting treats like Apple & Vanilla Strudel. It’s designed to help chefs and hospitality venues create menus that sparkle - from festive sandwiches to playful cocktails. “We’re proud to support our customers with a festive range that reflects current trends and consumer preferences. Our Christmas brochure and product catalogue provides a practical and strategic foundation to help foodservice businesses deliver memorable dining experiences with quality food and drink options for tremendous value,” said Ricky O’Brien, BWG Foodservice Director, pictured with Karla Murray, Head of Foodservice Trading.

Frank and Honest team up with Alone

THIS festive season, Frank and Honest have teamed up with Alone to create a cup of kindness tree ornament, available in Centra stores nationwide. Retailing at €4, all profits from the sale of these ornaments will be donated to Alone to help them in their mission to combat loneliness and social isolation among older people this Christmas. The perfect stocking filler for the coffee lover in your life, or the ideal gift for the office Kris Kindle, make sure you share a cup of kindness this Christmas.

PERFECTLY PACKED: INTENSITY & FLAVOUR.

Healthy, wealthy or wise?

As a society, we need to change our food environment to make healthier choices easier for people, argues Dr Aileen McGloin, Director of Nutrition with Safefood. Government, manufacturers, retailers and the public themselves all have a role to play.

WE can all agree that healthier eating is a priority for Ireland as a nation, as we battle with the fact that we have one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with over 60% of adults and over one in five children and young people living with overweight and obesity. There are multiple drivers that influence obesity, including genetics, environmental and socioeconomic factors.

Obesity is associated with other chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, several types of cancer, pain and musculoskeletal disorders.

A healthier diet is an important part of the fight against obesity, but how difficult is it for shoppers to fill their trolley or basket with healthier options, and how much more expensive is it?

The latest Food Basket Report from Safefood revealed how families on lowincome need to spend up to one third (33%) of their weekly income to afford a healthy food basket that meets nutritional needs. For those households with a teenager at home, their costs were more than 20% higher than those of a household with children of pre-school and primary school age.

The Safefood research found that households reliant on social welfare spend a larger percentage of their take-home income on food, compared to households with an employed adult. The average family of two parents on state benefits and two children, where the older child was in secondary school, had a total weekly food basket cost of €198 or 33% of their take home income. For a one-parent household

relying on state benefits with two children of pre-school and primary school age, their weekly basket cost €122 or 28% of their take home income. This was 12% higher than if the adult was employed, earning the national minimum wage.

Among pensioners, the total weekly healthy food basket cost ranged from €72 for a single pensioner to €90 for a couple. According to the most recent Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, food price inflation in Ireland rose to a 20-month high of 5% in August this year.

The contents of the food baskets in the Safefood survey were based on menus put together by the households themselves. People selected an acceptable food basket in terms of taste and menu choices, while also meeting the social needs of a household, for example hosting visitors or

special occasions like birthdays. The food baskets were reviewed by nutritionists to ensure they met the nutritional guidelines and then price-checked accordingly.

Typically, families on low income tend to eat less well, which can contribute to higher levels of excess weight and corresponding health complications like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

“The household that is most vulnerable is the household with the older child, a teenager in secondary school, because they’re effectively feeding three adults,” explains Dr Aileen McGloin, Director of Nutrition with Safefood. “And it's worse if you're on state benefits.”

Cutting back on food spending?

For a lot of families, food shopping is the only flexible part of their spend. “All of the other costs are inflexible, whatever you're paying on your rent or your mortgage, your transport costs and your electricity; all of those things have to be paid. So the piece of the puzzle that gets squeezed is the food budget. What we find is that when it comes to those most vulnerable households on the lowest incomes, you see things like parents skipping meals but you also see them just buying poorer quality food to try and get by. That's the typical choice people have to make.

“Many families are being forced to choose cheaper and often nutritionally poor food items to keep food spending within their means and this is a really worrying trend. What this research consistently shows is the challenge for families on low income of trying to balance the cost of a heathy food basket against the cost of meeting other needs and expenses.”

Feeding our children healthily isn’t always easy, thanks to the food environment we have helped to create.

So why does healthy food tend to be more expensive than ultra-processed foods on our shelves?

“We’ve carried out research on what foods are promoted in supermarkets, and we found that 35% of all products promoted are unhealthy foods,” Dr McGloin notes. “If you go into a convenience store, that rises to 56%. While people need the nutritional value of the key foods on the food pyramid, we don’t need these discretionary foods that are high in sugar, fat and salt, but they

Some countries run voucher schemes for fruit and vegetables for people who are living with food poverty.

give us pleasure, so the manufacturers and marketers of these foods have to make them as attractive as possible. So they're heavily marketed; they look beautiful and shiny and colourful. They’ll make the price attractive, and they make it hard for you to pass by. All of your senses are being bombarded to make the wrong choice all the time.

“If you’re don't have the money on top of that, it’s an even more difficult proposition to buy the more expensive, balanced meal, as opposed to the cheap food that you know the kids will love because it's so tasty. The kind of food environment that we have created is really challenging.”

Taking responsibility for our food environment

Who needs to take responsibility for this food environment? Is it manufacturers? What part do retailers play? How much of our diet is down to personal choice? How much of a role should the state play in what foods are on our shelves, how they’re marketed and even where they are available?

“To date, our food environment has been driven solely by economic gain,” says Dr McGloin. “For example, there have been no planning laws around where we can have certain types of food retail outlets. In the UK, however, in certain council areas they are capping the number of fast food outlets in areas where they have high levels of

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“We

all have a role to play. Retailers have a duty to meet their legal obligations and a duty of care to their customers.”

obesity, so we are starting to see changes to planning laws around what kinds of outlets are there. There are also new regulations in the UK around where foods can be placed in supermarkets and whether they can be on offer.

“In Ireland, we’re now trying to catch up, from a policy perspective and say, ‘actually, this is not what we want our food environment to look like’. We know that the food environment is one of the key drivers of food-related ill health.”

For decades, we have placed the onus on individual behaviours, she feels, telling Irish people they need to eat less and move more. But in that time, we have created a challenging environment for people to make healthier decisions, and now they want to make the decision easier.

“You can get up in the morning with

every good intention to get your kids to school and to pass by all the treats on the way to and from school, to bring them to the swimming pool after school even, and you still have to pass the vending machine on the way out,” she says. “You're constantly being challenged with these decisions around unhealthy foods that you

don't actually need at all, and everybody's responsible for that environment. The undoing of that involves the retailers, the food manufacturers, the government and the public getting involved. We need to impose stronger legislation and stronger restrictions on how less healthy foods can be promoted, displayed and sold.”

Retailers have a part to play in creating a healthier food environment for shoppers, according to Dr Aileen McGloin.

We have created a food environment that makes it difficult to buy healthy, balanced meals, as opposed to cheaper, less nutritious food that parents know their the kids will love.

Legislating for healthier food choices

So how do you go about legislating to help people to make healthier food choices?

While you might not be able to wave a magic wand and make healthier food more affordable, you can help to stop making unhealthy food so cheap by banning Buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) offers on unhealthy foods, for example, which is on the way in our nearest neighbours in the UK.

“We already have no VAT on fruit and vegetables in Ireland, which is helpful, but in some other countries, you see voucher schemes for fruit and vegetables for people who are living with food poverty,” Dr McGloin muses.

She admits that in Ireland and elsewhere, legislation has been more about restricting access to unhealthy foods rather than incentivising consumers towards healthier options. She cites the example of the tax on high sugar drinks, which has proved extremely effective, and has driven the growth of low and no sugar alternatives. “Can we apply that to more foods?” she muses. “It gets more complex with food because food is obviously a mix of fats and sugars and sometimes healthy elements as well as unhealthy elements.”

She does believe that we will see “a much more legislation-led approach to unhealthy food” in the future, including perhaps bans on advertising for foods that are deemed unhealthy: “these kinds of policies are very much the norm in a public health space”.

“The restriction of advertising, the restriction of placement, the restriction of promotion; all of these are parts of the puzzle,” she believes.

To those who would cry ‘nanny state’ at the Government’s intervention in the food

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environment, Dr McGloin feels that such suggestions are lazy: “I would also argue that in relation to safety, the Government intervenes at every point in your life. You're in a house that meets building standards. You drive a car that meets stringent manufacturing standards. Every move that you make in the day is supported by legislation and government policy that protects your safety and your health. The idea that food is somehow outside of that is very odd, because we as citizens in a complex or a sophisticated society are living with this every single day.”

Dr McGloin admits that there has been “good work” taking place in the area of reformulation of food and drink products, effectively changing a product’s ingredients

to reduce the amounts of salt, sugar, saturated fat and energy in foods consumed by people living in Ireland: “That tweaking of the food supply itself, when you put that on a whole of population level, it has really profound effects potentially.”

The role of retailers

She believes that retailers too have a part to play in the overall public health strategy. “We are not demonising any one particular group. We all have a role to play,” she insists. “Retailers have a duty to meet their legal obligations and a duty of care to their customers.”

Ultimately, however, we need a seismic change in the entire food environment, she believes, in which we all have to play our part.

“As a society, we have been telling you as a parent for a generation that it's your responsibility and you need to bring healthy food into the house,” she says. “What we're saying now is that we need to turn our focus to the food environment, to change it into something that would support you as a parent to make the healthier decisions every day. Imagine if you didn’t have to avoid the sweets when you're going to buy petrol or a newspaper. If you didn’t have to avoid the sweets when you bring your child to a sports complex. But at the moment, you do; the environment that has been created challenges you at every move that you make. So, we are really looking to strengthen policy, to create an environment that supports people to be healthy, not just expect them to be healthy in the face of an environment that is undermining that at every turn.”

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Gala continue to ‘Deliver the Difference’

The Gala Retail annual conference in Killarney featured a host of inspiring speakers and also revealed the winners of Gala Retail’s Excellence Awards.

GALA retailers, suppliers, and wholesale members gathered together in Killarney recently for the Group’s annual conference, which was themed ‘Delivering the Difference’. The conference featured inspirational speakers and, reflective of the theme, the event was also home to Gala Retail’s Excellence Awards, which acknowledged retailers from across Ireland who are delivering the difference.

In the morning session, former Irish international rugby player, Bernard

Jackman, spoke on high-performance teams, and Geoff Ramm, the inspirational customer service speaker, featured on the bill.

Promoting sustainable retailing

Speaking at the conference, Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, reflected on what has been a standout year for the Group. He remarked on Gala’s continued innovation and investment across marketing, technology, and sustainability, all designed

Pictured at the Gala Retail annual conference in Killarney are: comedian Bernard O’Shea, Gary Desmond, CEO Gala Retail; MC Jacqui Hurley, five-time Olympian race walker Rob Heffernan and GAA legend Pat Spillane.

Pictured are (l-r): Donald Williamson, Gala Chair, with customer service expert Geoff Ramm, MC Jacqui Hurley, former rugby star Bernard Jackman and Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail.

to support retailers and drive shopper engagement.

Highlighting Gala’s strong year of brand activity, Gary Desmond spoke about the success of ‘Ireland’s Best Baker with Gala Retail and Virgin Media’, a national campaign that celebrated local baking talent and community spirit across Ireland. The initiative, which has been shortlisted for two upcoming Irish Sponsorship Awards, was supported by a series of creative campaigns and in-store activations, delivering exceptional engagement across the network.

With sustainability a continued focus, it was revealed that Gala Retail have gifted their retailers over €100,000 in Gala Greener Grants, helping them transition to energy-efficient and sustainable retailing of the future. This marks the start of Gala’s €500,000 commitment to energy-efficient upgrades across Ireland. Launched 18 months ago as part of Gala’s ESG strategy, the programme has supported retailers in installing solar panels, upgrading refrigeration, and improving insulation,

Gala Retail Annual Conference

underscoring Gala’s commitment to a greener retail future.

State-of-the-art IT system

Gala have also invested heavily in IT efficiencies, introducing a state-of-theart EPOS system that unifies store data to identify trends, regional insights, and opportunities for growth. With AI-led efficiencies now being explored, Gala are helping retailers to future-proof their operations, while continuing to deliver new concepts that enhance the customer experience and boost sales.

Throughout the day, the conference was expertly compered by sports broadcaster, Jacqui Hurley, with evening entertainment delivered by Bernard O’Shea, Irish fivetime Olympian race walker Rob Heffernan and GAA legend Pat Spillane. Over 60 Gala Excellence Awards were presented to retailers across the business that were deemed ‘outstanding’ following a comprehensive and independent assessment process.

Gala Category Award winners

• Gala Fresh Food Award, sponsored by Tirlán: McDermott's Gala, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick

• Gala Bakers Corner Award, sponsored by O’Brien IngredientsMurphy's Gala, Kanturk, Co. Cork

Gala Chilled Award, sponsored by Aryzta Food SolutionsNicholson's Gala Keel, Co. Mayo Store Manager of the Year, sponsored by K&K ProduceMichelle McDonagh, Cill Chiaráin, Connemara, Co. Galway

• Community Initiative Award, sponsored by BAT - McGuire's Gala, Rooskey

Gala Distill Off Licence Award, sponsored by Comans Wines Hanlon's Gala, Longford

Gala Social Media Award, sponsored by Tayto SnacksDolan's Gala, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

• Gala Marketing Award, sponsored by JTI - Mulrooney Group

• Coffee Junction Award, sponsored by Matthew Algie - Manor Forecourts Gala, Raheen, Co. Wexford

• Gala Customer Service Award, sponsored by Britvic - Cooney's Gala, Coachford, Co. Cork

• Brand Champion Award, sponsored by Mondelez - Harkin's Group Donegal

• Supplier of the Year - O’Brien’s Ingredients

Special Merit Award, sponsored by Coca Cola HBC - O'Shea's Gala, Blennerville, Co. Kerry

Bakery supplier O’Brien’s Ingredients were named as Gala Retail’s Supplier of the Year. Pictured are Peter Savage, Jason O’Brien and Darren Savidge from O’Brien’s Ingredients with Gary Desmond, CEO Gala Retail (second from left).

Irene Murphy (centre) from Murphy's Gala, Kanturk, Co. Cork, accepts the Bakers Corner Award from Audrey Kelly, Gala Retail and Darren Savidge, O'Brien’s Ingredients.

Paul Harkin (centre), Harkin's Group, Donegal, accepts the Brand Champion Award from Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, and Eoin Kellet, Mondelez Ireland.

Gala Retail Annual Conference

Recognising excellence

“The Gala Retail annual conference is a real highlight of the calendar for us as it’s when we get to ensure our retailers get the recognition they deserve,” explained Gary Desmond. “Each award is thanks and recognition to our retailers and their teams for their loyalty, hard work and dedication to quality convenience retailing.

“Our theme at this year’s conference was ‘Delivering the Difference’ and our awardwinning group of modern, innovative retailers make a difference to their shoppers and communities every day.”

In the afternoon, the Gala Trade Event drew an excellent turnout, with more than 60 suppliers showcasing their products and services to retailers. The atmosphere was vibrant and engaging, with valuable connections made and plenty of business done.

The celebrations continued into the evening with a Gala dinner in which Gala

Retail named their category award winners of the year – those stores that demonstrate exemplary standards in specific areas of convenience.

Among the winners were: McGuire's Gala, Rooskey, on the border between Leitrim and Roscommon, for Community Initiative of the Year; Cooney's Gala in Coachford, Co. Cork, for Excellence in Customer Service; Hanlon’s Gala in Longford for Distill Off Licence of the Year; and Harkin's Group, Donegal, for Brand Champion. Bakery supplier O’Brien’s Ingredients were named as Gala Retail’s Supplier of the Year.

VIP guests from Special Olympics Ireland Celebrating their 11th year as a platinum sponsor of Special Olympics Ireland, Gala retailers and suppliers were joined by VIP guests at the evening event - five Special Olympics Ireland athletes from Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club. Joining athletes

Jane Curran, Cliona Palmer, Siobhan Looney, Eric Dian and Joe Buckley was the new Special Olympics Ireland CEO, Karen Coventry, who’s in charge of preparations for the biggest year in the Special Olympics calendar, the Ireland Games, which are taking place in Dublin next June.

The Gala Retail annual conference delivered the difference. Retailers travelled from across Ireland to celebrate all that they have achieved, learn from other retailers and meet with suppliers at the trade fair.

As one of the most progressive convenience groups in Ireland, Gala stores continue to benefit from national expertise, coupled with local wholesaler support and a store model which ensures that every Gala store is designed to deliver to its local community’s requirements.

To find out more about Gala Retail and to see a full list of the winning stores, visit www.gala.ie

Tom Darcy (centre) accepts the Gala Social Media Award, on behalf of Dolan's Gala, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, from Tony Cluskey, Gala Retail, and John O’Connor, Tayto Snacks.

Cooney's Gala in Coachford, Co. Cork, won the Excellence in Customer Service Award. Ronan Cooney (centre) accepts the award from Tony Cluskey (left), Gala Retail, and Peter Slattery, Britvic.

Audrey Kelly, Gala Retail, and Declan Fennelly from Tirlán (right) present the Gala Fresh Food Award to John McDermott, McDermott's Gala, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick.

Michelle McDonagh (centre), Cill Chiaráin, Connemara, Co. Galway, is pictured accepting the Store Manager of the Year Award, from Audrey Kelly, Gala Retail, and Deirdre Kennedy, K&K Produce.

Gala Retail Annual Conference

Sandra Nicholson (centre) from Nicholson's Gala Keel, Co. Mayo, accepts the Chilled Award from Audrey Kelly, Gala Retail, and Kevin Fitzgerald, Aryzta Food Solutions.

John and Francis McGuire from McGuire's Gala, Rooskey, accept the Community Initiative of the Year Award from Audrey Kelly (left), Gala Retail, and David Melinn (right), BAT.

Paula Mulrooney from the Mulrooney Group accepts the Marketing Initiative Award from Tony Cluskey, Gala Retail, and Brian O’Shea, JTI.

Patrick Hanlon (centre) from Hanlon’s Gala, Longford, accepts the Off Licence Award from Tony Cluskey, Gala Retail, and Redmond Gavin, Comans Wines.

Gary Desmond, CEO of Gala Retail, and Colm Redmond, Coca-Cola HBC (right) present the Special Merit Award to Kieran and Mary O’Shea from O'Shea's Gala, Blennerville, Co. Kerry.

Mark Lacy from Manor Forecourts Gala, Raheen, Co. Wexford, accepts the Coffee Junction Award from Tony Cluskey, Gala Retail, and Edwin Addison, Matthew Algie.

How to make your QR codes go beep at the till

QR codes powered by GS1 are changing how consumers interact with products, but they also need to be easily read and processed by retail POS systems ahead of ‘Ambition 2027’.

TWO-DIMENSIONAL (2D) barcodes, such as the GS1 DataMatrix and QR Code, have achieved widespread adoption. The GS1 DataMatrix barcode is already widely used in the healthcare sector across pharma and medical devices, while the now familiar QR Code is increasingly being adopted for consumer engagement and retail applications.

Brand marketing teams have embraced the QR Code as a tool to connect consumers to online information, leveraging the ability of the cameras on smart devices, such as mobile phones, to instantly recognise web addresses in the barcode.

The global retail industry, including retailers, suppliers, brands, manufacturers and solution providers, have agreed that GS1 DataMatrix, Data Matrix with the GS1 Digital Link syntax, and QR Code with the GS1 Digital Link URI syntax, will be the three 2D barcodes used at retail point-ofsale (POS). Preparations are now underway ahead of the readiness target date of end 2027 – a project known as ‘Ambition 2027’.

Ambition 2027: the global goal to get retail ready for 2D barcodes

Industry has set a goal that, by the end of 2027, all retail POS systems should be capable of reading and processing a defined set of 2D barcodes with GS1 standards, in addition to existing linear barcodes.

Here is a roundup of best practices to observe when creating and printing your QR Codes for retail point-of-sale scanning.

QR codes with Barcode Numbers (GTINs)

The first distinguishing feature between a standard marketing QR code and a ‘QR code powered by GS1’ for retail point-ofsale scanning is the defined structure of the link that it contains. The data string in the QR Code must, as a minimum, contain a domain, the application identifier (AI) 01 to define the product barcode number, and then the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) itself. Depending upon your product, you may also choose to include additional production data such as a Best Before Date or Serial Number, for example.

Illustrative GS1 Digital Link: https:// dl.gs1ie.org/01/05391547320009

Avoid customised QR codes and logos

To ensure fast and efficient barcode readability across the supply chain and at the point-of-sale (POS), barcode customisation or the addition of logos should be avoided. This is particularly crucial for 2D barcodes at point-of-sale, where speed and accuracy are essential.

Customised 2D barcodes have artistic modifications or have been visually enhanced to align with a brand or design style. Logos or shapes that obscure the encoded data within a 2D barcode, along with alterations to the matrix, can compromise barcode quality, potentially disrupting product scanning and POS operations. While these customised QR Codes may remain scannable with smart devices such as mobile phones, they can pose challenges in the retail ecosystem, where high-speed identification and decoding are essential.

Ensure high print quality

Most products today feature an EAN/UPC barcode so familiar that we barely notice it, until a scanner fails to read it correctly at the point-of-sale (POS). Maintaining the same level of efficient scanning at the POS with 2D barcodes is crucial to preserve retail efficiency, productivity, and trust in the POS process.

Packaging designers must prioritise barcode quality during the design and packaging stages, while print solution providers need to carefully select the appropriate printing technology to achieve optimal results. The minimum quality specification for a 2D barcode is an overall symbol quality grade of 1.5.

Print QR codes at the right size

The X-dimension is the size of an individual square in a 2D barcode. The X-dimension is a critical parameter in ensuring that barcodes are both printable and scannable. Smaller X dimensions produce more compact barcodes, while larger X-dimensions result in bigger symbols.

The GS1 Symbol Specification Tables (SST) detail the minimum height and width of the 2D barcode’s smallest module (square). The minimum x-dimension for point-of-sale and general distribution is 0.743 millimetre (0.0292 inch) and the maximum is 0.990 millimetre (0.0390 inch).

Maintain the ‘Quiet Zone’

The Quiet Zone is the empty space that surrounds all four sides of a 2D barcode. This space helps barcode scanners locate the barcode’s finder pattern and begin to process the information in it. Removing the Quiet Zone or putting graphics, colours or other printed elements in the Quiet Zone can reduce barcode reading performance.

Select the right colours and contrast

The choice of colours significantly affects

Brand marketing teams have embraced the QR Code as a tool to connect consumers to online information, leveraging the ability of the cameras on smart devices, such as mobile phones, to instantly recognise web addresses in the barcode.

the ability of POS scanners and verifiers to decode the barcode.

A 2D barcode consisting of a matrix of dark squares (data elements) and light spaces (background) is a normal reflectance 2D barcode. 2D barcodes can also employ reverse reflectance, where light squares represent the data elements, and the background is dark.

The illuminating colour (from the scanner

or camera) determines the contrast between the dark and light elements and plays a crucial role in enabling the scanning device to distinguish and accurately read the 2D barcode.

Black and white provide the best contrast. Red should be avoided. While some scanners can decode barcodes with weak contrast, it is recommended to use very dark colours for the matrix squares

and very light colours for the background to ensure optimal readability.

To learn more, scan the QR code to download a copy of the GS1 2D Barcode Colour and Quality Guide.

Retail Ireland: Monthly Update

Budget 2026: the good, the bad & the ugly

FOR the Irish retail sector, the unveiling of Budget 2026 presented a tale of two distinct halves. On one hand, the government has made a welcome and significant commitment to tackling the escalating issue of retail crime. On the other, the budget offered little to no relief from the immense pressure of rising business costs that continue to squeeze margins and challenge viability.

Rising costs

Running a retail business in Ireland is becoming much more expensive, and Budget 2026 did little to alleviate this burden. While framed as "pro-investment," the plan lacks direct support for retailers grappling with ever-increasing overheads. The most significant challenge is the upcoming increase in the national minimum wage to €14.15 per hour, effective from January 1, 2026. Retailers support fair wages for staff, but this near 5% rise will place further strain on already tight margins. Labour is the single biggest cost for many businesses, and this increase creates a knock-on effect across all wage levels. When combined with persistently high energy costs and insurance premiums, the operating environment remains incredibly tough. Maintaining competitiveness is a constant battle, and Retail Ireland will continue to impress upon the Government the need for targeted supports to help businesses manage these costs and safeguard local jobs.

Security and safety

Growth and investment

Beyond the immediate concerns of the retail sector, we must acknowledge the broader economic context. The long-term health of our industry is intrinsically linked to the strength and dynamism of the wider economy. In this regard, the Government's commitment to significant capital infrastructure investment is a crucial and welcome development, even if we are playing catch-up. The allocation of substantial funds for public transport and housing is not just about building a better society; it's about creating the essential foundations for sustainable economic growth.

Consumer outlook

On a more positive note, the Government’s measures on crime were a clear win for the retail sector. The budget allocates over €2.59 billion to An Garda Síochána, a move that will fund the recruitment of up to 1,000 new Gardaí and 200 additional Garda staff.

This is a welcome development. As our members know all too well, theft, crime, and anti-social behaviour are on the rise. These are not victimless crimes; they have a real and damaging impact on staff morale, customer safety, and the financial health of businesses.

Our message has been clear: retailers need more support, starting with a greater Garda presence. This increased funding is a direct response to those calls, and we are hopeful it will translate into more visible policing, quicker response times, and a tougher stance on retail offences, making our stores safer for everyone.

Ultimately, the health of the retail sector depends on the consumer's ability to spend. The budget contained modest measures for households, including minor changes to the USC and a €10 increase in weekly social protection payments.

A key concern is the Government's failure to index income tax bands. As wages rise, this "fiscal drag" will push many workers into higher tax brackets, eroding any real gains in their disposable income. For retailers, this potentially signals further consumer caution into the future.

More to do

Retail Ireland will be watching closely to ensure the new Garda funding delivers real change on the ground. At the same time, our advocacy will intensify for meaningful Government action to help retailers manage the escalating costs that threaten their future. This budget was a step in the right direction on crime and infrastructure, but the journey towards a truly supportive environment for Irish retail is far from over.

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

Nordic Spirit takes it to the Max

Nordic Spirit has unveiled the latest addition to its evolving portfolio, Frosty Berry Max.

THE Nordic Spirit Max journey continues with the latest addition to this evolving portfolio - Frosty Berry Max. Designed for experienced users seeking maximum intensity with a bold burst of flavour, this new addition blends the sweetness of mixed berries with an icy peppermint freshness,

delivering an explosive yet refreshing burst that pushes flavour to new limits. And the timing couldn’t be better to take Frosty Berry to the Max.

Fast-changing market

Across the category, shoppers are progressing to stronger formats, and they’re doing it fast. Max and Ultra together now account for 17% of market share in September 2025, up from just 11% in January. Fruit flavours have grown from 18% in January 2024 to 33% in September 2025, almost doubling in under two years as consumers seek a fruitier variety (figures correct at time of printing, sourced from NIQ Scan Track, Inc, SOM, MAT, October 5, 2025).

Max and Ultra together now account for 17% of market share in September 2025, up from just 11% in January. Fruit flavours have grown from 18% in January 2024 to 33% in September 2025, almost doubling in under two years as consumers seek a fruitier variety.

Frosty Berry Max captures both trends in one pouch: a cooling hit with the sweet notes of mixed berries, all delivered in their strongest pouch yet.

As Ireland’s number one nicotine pouch brand (Source: NIQ Scan Track, Inc, SOM, MAT, October 5, 2025, figures correct at time of printing), Nordic Spirit continues to evolve with its consumers, driving the category forward through innovation that combines strength, flavour, and quality.

Special introductory offer

For a limited time, Frosty Berry Max is launching at an introductory offer of €5, giving experienced consumers the chance to experience this new high-intensity addition. Be sure to stock up and let your customers know about this exciting offer! Are you ready to take Frosty Berry to the Max?

New Nordic Spirit Max Frosty Berry Max blends the sweetness of mixed berries with an icy peppermint freshness, delivering an explosive yet refreshing burst that pushes flavour to new limits.

Mayfair: 25 years of value you can trust

SINCE launching in Ireland in 2000, Mayfair has built trust one pack at a time, delivering premium quality tobacco at an affordable price. Just seven years later, the brand had become Ireland’s number one value cigarette, a position it continues to hold today, almost two decades later (Correct at time of printing. Source: NielsenIQ ROI Extended Scantrack, RMC SOS, September 7, 2025).

Over the past 25 years, Mayfair has grown alongside the Irish market, delivering both consumer loyalty and dependable sales for retailers. Innovation has been key to this journey, from limited-edition packs and new formats to promotions that support loyal retail partners.

Together, these steps have ensured the Mayfair portfolio continues to meet the needs of existing adult smokers, whilst supporting retailers' success.

Start of a new era

The 25th anniversary marks more

Mayfair, Ireland’s number one value cigarette brand, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Ireland.

than just a milestone for Mayfair; it represents the beginning of a new era. A refreshed design will soon be introduced, emphasising the brand’s proud heritage, whilst underlining its commitment to evolution. What remains unchanged is the

consistent quality at the heart of Mayfair, delivering the same great taste and the value you can trust.

Stock Mayfair today and offer your customers the quality and value that have defined Mayfair for 25 years.

Blas na hÉireann 2025

Crowning achievements

Blas na hÉireann 2025, the Irish food awards, recently celebrated another fantastic year and announced this year’s Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer awards.

BLAS na hÉireann, the Irish food awards, recently announced this year’s winners at the four-day celebration of the best of Irish food and drink, which took place in Dingle.

This year’s Supreme Champion was revealed as Bon Chocolatiers, proudly sponsored by Bord Bia, with Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers announced as Best Artisan Producer, proudly sponsored by Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Network.

Supreme Champion

Supreme Champion 2025, Bon Chocolatiers was founded during lockdown in 2020 by a young couple who met at college when training to become chefs. After graduating, Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan worked with some of the country’s top chefs, including Garrett Byrne at Campagne in Kilkenny and John Coffey of Thyme in Athlone.

A shared passion for patisserie and

chocolate then saw them completing courses with world-renowned chocolatiers, resulting in their joint venture, which quickly gained recognition for its original and luxuriously delicious chocolates. From ethically sourced French, Swiss and Ghanaian chocolate to Irish butter and cream, foraged local berries, Wicklow mint and Oriel sea salt, the very best ingredients are key to everything that Georgia and Daniel do at Bon Chocolatiers. Their sumptuous creations are available online, delivered direct from their chocolate kitchen in Tullamore, as well as from Fallon & Byrne, and are also supplied to some carefully selected restaurants and hotels.

Best Artisan Producer

Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers are this year’s Best Artisan Producer. Cashel Blue was a groundbreaking Irish farmhouse cheese when it was first produced in 1984 by Louis & Jane Grubb, and over 40 years

later it is now in the hands of the second generation of the Grubb family at their 200acre Beechmount Farm in Tipperary.

With an ambition to create a farmhouse cheese that “truly represents the outstanding quality of Tipperary grass-fed milk”, the multi-award-winning original blue cheese has been joined since by Crozier Blue, the only sheep’s milk blue cheese in the country, as well as Cashel Blue Organic, and Shepherd’s Store, a semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese. All have the same sense of terroir that was the inspiration for these groundbreaking cheeses from the outset, and are regular award-winners in Irish and international competitions.

In 2004, Louis and Jane’s daughter, Sarah, and her husband Sergio Furno, became responsible for the maturing of the cheese, and are now co-owners of the business, continuing the story for the future, and the next generations who will farm and make cheese at Beechmount Farm.

Victory is sweet (and savoury).

Congratulations to our amazing local suppliers who won 84 awards at the 2025 Blas na hÉireann awards.

Blas na hÉireann 2025

“Our Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer cover the full flavour spectrum, from salty, savoury, famous blue cheese made for over 40 years, now by the second generation of the same family, to the delicate, handmade sweetness of artistic chocolates created by a young couple, setting out on their adventure in business together,” said Artie Clifford, Blas na hÉireann Chairperson. “41 years ago, Louis and Jane Grubb of Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers were that young couple, taking a risk, trying something new, and

in the process, creating a wonderful, groundbreaking cheese that has fans all over the world. Georgia and Daniel of Bon Chocolatiers may be at the beginning of their career in chocolate, but having examples like the Grubbs is certainly an inspiration for producers at every stage of their business journey.

“Blas na hÉireann is delighted to award Supreme Champion 2025 to Bon Chocolatiers and Best Artisan Producer 2025 to Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers - two producers creating exceptional products.”

This year’s finalists and winners had the opportunity to showcase their products at the Blas Village and the popular Eat Ireland in a Day market, both of which returned to Dingle, alongside the annual Backyard at Blas panel discussions, in partnership with Bank of Ireland. The weekend offered producers a chance to connect with buyers, industry experts, media, fellow producers, and food lovers, while also celebrating the people, and the talents, that make Irish food so special.

Now in its 18th year, Blas na hÉireann saw another strong year from across all categories, along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. During the judging, which took place over June and July, over 3,000 entries were evaluated. Products from every county in Ireland were entered to win bronze, silver or gold awards in over 180 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like the Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer. As the competition intensifies

each year, earning the prestigious Blas badge is a major accomplishment, signifying that the shortlisted finalists and eventual winners represent the pinnacle of excellence in Irish food and drink.

Tesco Ireland

Tesco Ireland were among the big winners, celebrating the fact that 29 outstanding food and drink suppliers stocked in their stores nationwide took home 84 awards for producing Tesco own-label products at this year’s Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards, including 26 gold, 26 silver and 27 bronze medals, as well as 5 Chef’s Larder winners, making Tesco Ireland the most awarded retailer at the awards for two years running.

The awards included Tesco Finest 5 Thick Cut Hickory Smoked Dry Cured

Pictured at the Blas na hÉireann 2025 awards are members of the Hilton Group with Ciarán Doyle, Tesco Ireland Buying Manager of Fresh Meat & Breakfast Meals, and Karen Gordon, New Product Development Manager at Tesco Ireland.

Irish Rashers, produced by Hilton Foods, which secured a gold medal, while Tesco Finest Feta & Spring Vegetable Focaccia, produced by Crust & Crumb, took home a silver medal. Tesco Finest Vintage Irish White Cheddar, produced by Bandon Vale, brought home a bronze medal, and Tesco Irish Parsley, produced by O’Hanlon Herbs, won a Chef’s Larder award.

“As the single biggest retail buyer of Irish food and drink in the world, we’re passionate about working hand in hand with Irish suppliers to bring quality, provenance and value to families nationwide,” noted

Bon Chocolatiers’ founders Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan.

Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers won the Best Artisan Producer Award.

Joe Manning, Commercial Director, Tesco Ireland. “To see 84 Tesco Ireland products take home awards at Blas na hÉireann is a proud moment that celebrates not only their craft but also the bright future of Irish food. We’re very proud of all the products that were shortlisted for awards and the Irish suppliers that produce them – we think they all deserve a gold medal!”

SuperValu

SuperValu’s Irish producers also enjoyed a number of wins at the awards, with the company's producers winning a total of 96 Blas na hÉireann awards across the SuperValu Own Brand, SuperValu Signature Tastes, Food Academy and The Happy Pear ranges.

They included 12 gold medal winners, with standout products such as Signature Tastes Irish Organic Salmon Darnes, Signature Tastes Irish Whiskey BBQ Sauce, Signature Tastes Allenwood Cheese & Signature Tastes Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice.

SuperValu Food Academy producers took home 51 awards in total, including golds for Valentia Island Vermouth and Coffee House Lane’s Aikenhead blend. Nice Ice Cream

from Roscommon, one of the newest Food Academy producers, was named Blas na hÉireann Best Start-Up, while The Happy Pear took home six awards, including golds for The Lovely Basil Pesto and Sweet Beet Hummus.

SuperValu Managing Director Luke Hanlon described it as “a remarkable year for SuperValu’s Irish producers”, who were celebrated for their quality, innovation, and diverse offering: “Supporting homegrown talent has always been at the core of SuperValu, and it’s inspiring to see these producers receive the recognition they truly deserve. We remain committed to championing the very best of Irish food.”

Centra

SuperValu’s sister group, Centra claimed 23 awards at this year’s Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards, with the group taking home the most awards in the convenience sector.

The big wins included six products from the Inspired By Centra range, including a gold for Inspired By Centra Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice by Sunshine Juice, and silvers for Inspired By Centra Berry Coulis with Yogurt and Granola by Freshcut Foods and Inspired By Centra Yule Log by

Couverture Desserts Ltd.

Key award winners from the Centra range included silver awards for Centra Streaky Smoked Rashers by Oliver Carty Ltd, Centra Sriracha Quick Fry Steak by Dawn Meats and Centra Strawberry Kefir by Clona Dairy Products Ltd.

“As Ireland’s leading convenience retailer, we are proud to bring customers the very best of Irish produce,” said Luke Hanlon, Managing Director of Centra. “The success of our trusted suppliers, who have earned 23 accolades at this year’s awards, is a strong reflection of this commitment. The Blas accreditation is further recognition of the quality behind Centra’s products, sourced from trusted Irish suppliers and available across our nationwide network of Centra stores."

Liz and Dermot Skehan, Fresh Cut Foods, one of the Centra producers to be awarded at this year’s Blas na hÉireann awards.

Lidl Ireland

Lidl Ireland’s suppliers won 41 awards, including 12 gold, 20 silver and 9 bronze awards. Gold award winners from Lidl included Lidl Glensallagh Thick Cut Bacon Rashers Maple, Lidl Large Unsmoked Half Horseshoe Ham Fillet, Lidl Deluxe Butcher Style Crumbed Ham, Lidl Deluxe Lamb Rack Herb Roasted, Lidl Deluxe 2 Irish Duck Breasts with Garlic & Pepper, Lidl Deluxe Cumberland Irish Pork Sausages, Lidl Milbona Greek Style Yogurt 10%, Lidl Chef Select High Protein Soup: Mexican Bean, Lidl Deluxe Irish Dundalgan Whiskey 18 month Matured Christmas Pudding, Lidl Deluxe Irish Rapeseed Oil, Lidl Deluxe Smoked Chilli and Sesame Seed Cracker and Lidl Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur.

For more information on the winners of the Blas na hÉireann awards, visit www.irishfoodawards.com

Visitors

The Backyard at Blas panel discussions proved extremely popular.

Christmas Stocking: Essentials

Festive fever on the way

With Christmas spending set to soar this year, we advise on must-stocks for the festive period in the annual Retail News Christmas Stocking special report.

THE festive season is the busiest period of the year for most grocery retailers, with Christmas 2025 predicted to prove hectic but profitable. Most commentators expect spend to be up on the record-breaking 2024 Christmas period.

Take-home value sales over the four weeks to December 29, 2024, increased by 4.4% to reach nearly €1.4 billion, according to figures from Numerator by Worldpanel (previously known as Kantar). In fact, December 2024 was the busiest trading month since the pre-lockdown rush in March 2020. Monday, December 23, was the most popular shopping day of the year, with consumers spending €107 million on that day alone, €11.9 million more than the highest trading day the previous year.

According to Numerator by Worldpanel, 2024 shoppers were willing to spend slightly more than usual with sales of branded products up 5.9%. Meanwhile, premium own label lines saw a sharp increase of 10.5%, surpassing the overall growth of own label products, which stood at 3.2%. Over the 12 weeks to December 29, shoppers spent nearly €140 million on premium own label ranges.

Alcohol took centre stage in festive shopping carts, with shoppers spending an additional €79 million on alcohol versus the previous month. Champagne & sparkling wine, beer & cider, and wine were popular among shoppers, who spent an additional €60.8 million compared to the previous

month. Others enjoyed themselves in moderation, with 9% of Irish households purchasing no and low alcohol drinks in December, spending an additional €2 million on these products.

That trend towards moderation looks set to continue, according to our interview with Cormac Healy, Drinks Ireland [Page 40], while GlobalData, a leading data an analytics company, agree, advising retailers to extend and elevate their low- and noalcohol ranges over the Christmas period to capture a larger share of young consumers’ festive spending. Gen Z’s changing social attitudes mean such drink options are viewed as desirable choices, rather than substitutes for alcoholic beverages.

“Christmas has traditionally been synonymous with socialising with alcoholic beverages, but for many younger consumers, the social norms around alcohol consumption are shifting,” said Charlotte Chilcott, Retail Analyst at GlobalData. “For these consumers, low- and no-alcohol drinks can be just as enjoyable as traditional alcoholic options. They are a deliberate, enjoyable choice that satisfies taste, social and wellbeing goals. While Gen Z has not abandoned alcohol altogether, retailers that can cater to both alcoholic and low- and no-alcohol preferences will win a bigger slice of seasonal sales.”

In the annual Retail News Christmas Stocking special, we highlight some of the products and brands guaranteed to excite

and delight your customers this Yuletide.

Lindt

With a wide range of exciting and delectable flavours as well as formats, Lindt Lindor is the perfect chocolate gift for any occasion. Lindor success comes not only from the much-loved classic Lindor milk recipe but also through their continual innovations to the market that are guaranteed to excite and delight your shoppers. Now available in a 137g cornet, a 200g & in a larger 337g cornet for even more blissful sharing.

New Lindor Pistachio sees the “it” flavour of the year available in the classic Lindor Truffle format.

Christmas Stocking: Essentials

the “it” flavour of the year in the classic Lindor Truffle format. The Lindt Master Chocolatiers have combined their expertise and the finest ingredients to produce the perfectly round milk chocolate shell filled with an irresistibly smooth melting pistachio centre.

Giving the gift of bliss has become even easier this season with different formats to choose from, including the Lindt Lindor Giftbox 287g or Lindt Lindor Heart Box filled with the iconic Lindt Lindor Milk chocolate truffles, with an irresistible smooth melting filling, consumers are guaranteed to find a gift to suit all occasions.

This Christmas, let Lindt help you bring the magic of Christmas to life for your customers with their delightful range of festive novelties, featuring Ireland’s number one Christmas novelty for the last three years, their beloved Lindt Teddy

The Lindt Teddy is back for Christmas 2025, having been Ireland’s number one Christmas novelty for the last three years.

(Source: Nielsen – Total Scantrack Pure Christmas Value Sales Christmas 17 weeks ending 29/12/24). Consumers can give the gift of a hand-crafted Teddy, adorned with an adorable heart charm, to their nearest and dearest this magical season. Teddy is also now available to enjoy in the form of a Milk Bar, perfect for sharing or gifting this Christmas.

Innovation is how Lindt continues to be a household success. With flavours and formats to be enjoyed by all the family, years of experience means Lindt know how to satisfy their consumers. Shoppers can bring the magic of Christmas to life with Lindt’s Teddy augmented reality advent calendar. Through the use of a QR code, they can join Teddy on a new adventure behind every door; a heart-warming and enchanting tale that encapsulates the magic of Christmas, along with 24 of the finest Lindt milk chocolates.

Lindor is the perfect chocolate gift for any occasion. Consumers can experience bliss with a variety of flavours and formats to choose from.

Nicky

Retailers can bring the magic of the festive season to your paper aisles this Christmas with Nicky’s range of high quality, decorated bathroom tissue and kitchen towels. Featuring the classic holiday favourite, The Snowman, Nicky’s range appeals to the whole family and helps create a warm, festive atmosphere in every home. With charming designs and superior quality, these products are sure to bring joy and convenience to your customers during the holiday season.

In addition, Nicky resonates with value-conscious family shoppers by offering a wide range of products that cater to all household needs. From gentle everyday toilet tissue, available in various

A capital idea

THE streets of our capital city are set to glow, as Dublin’s Christmas lights have been erected, thanks to City centre business collective, Dublin Town, which has put up energyefficient lights across 24 streets in the city centre.

“It takes 30 people, working through the night over four weeks and 200 hours to erect the lights,” said Dublin Town CEO, Richard Guiney. “Every single bulb and fixture is tested by Dublin Town’s lighting contractors in advance of going up. The lights bring the sense of Christmas to the city centre and thousands take selfies beneath the iconic displays.

“The erection of the lights is one of the biggest tasks Dublin Town undertakes for its business members on behalf of the people of Dublin, and beyond. They are the major catalyst of the city centre Christmas buzz and drive a sense of joy, as well as attracting footfall.”

All lighting used is low energy LED, regulated by time clocks. The Grafton Street display uses one third of the electricity of a domestic shower.

pack formats for both large and small households, to larger mega packs that save time and offer great value, Nicky ensures convenience and affordability.

The brand also offers an excellent range of kitchen towels ideal for everyday use, whether it's a multipurpose towel for tough tasks or a unique lemon-scented towel that adds a touch of freshness to the kitchen.

Nicky also offers sustainable packaging, whether the product is wrapped in paper or recycled plastic, a more eco-friendly decision. Sofidel are committed to sustainability and continuously working

The Lindt Lindor range is expected to prove hugely popular this festive season.

Christmas Stocking: Essentials

Nicky, one of Ireland’s favourite tissue brands, is bringing back the timeless classic themed The Snowman and The Snowdog range of bathroom tissue & kitchen towel in time for Christmas.

towards reducing their environmental impact. This includes initiatives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving waste management, and promoting eco-efficiency.

By choosing Nicky's products, customers can feel confident that they are making a responsible choice that supports a healthier planet. This commitment to sustainability not only helps protect the environment but also aligns with the growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

For more information please contact your local Tennent & Ruttle sales representative or visit nickytissue.ie

Clo Chocolates

Clo Chocolates, an award-winning artisan chocolate company from Sligo, have launched a special Christmas collection. Each creation is handmade by Clotilde Rambaud, who infuses French craftsmanship with Irish warmth, making every bite a festive moment of pure indulgence. Whether it’s a Milk Chocolate Christmas Tree Bar or the Boozy Collection (three different truffles that celebrate iconic Irish flavours), Clo Chocolates has perfect gifts.

“This Christmas collection is all about creating joy and festive magic through

Christmas FM to return with key sponsors CHRISTMAS FM, the nation’s go-to radio station for festive tunes that ‘Switches Christmas On’ each year across Ireland, is delighted to announce the return of An Post, Cadbury, and Coca-Cola as its Premier FM sponsors for 2025.

“We’re thrilled to welcome back An Post, Cadbury, and Coca-Cola as our premier FM sponsors for 2025,” noted Garvan Rigby, Co-Founder. “This year marks Christmas FM’s 18th year on air, which is a huge milestone to reach, made possible thanks to our incredible team, loyal sponsors, and dedicated listeners. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley for generously providing studio space once again this year.”

Ruth Gill, Marketing Communications Manager of An Post Mails & Parcels, said: “At An Post, we believe in sending love from the heart and spreading a little magic by sending post – especially at Christmas, when connection means the most. There’s something truly special about a handwritten letter, a thoughtful gift, or a simple card arriving through the letterbox. We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Christmas FM, a station that captures the true spirit of the season. Together, we’re helping people share love, joy and festive cheer with friends and family near and far. Because when you send post, you’re not just sending a card or a gift – you’re sending love, connection and a little Christmas magic.”

Carla Reynolds, Brand Manager at Cadbury, said: “The return of Christmas FM signals the true start of the festive season, and we at Cadbury are delighted to continue this heartwarming tradition together. Just like Christmas FM, Cadbury is woven into many Christmas rituals, from counting down to Christmas with our advent calendars, to surprising loved ones with free Cadbury chocolate from our Secret Santa postal service. The Christmas FM team consistently fills the nation with festive cheer and reminds us of the true spirit of Christmas – a time for generosity, connection and spreading joy. We're honoured to join them in sharing that magic and creating unforgettable moments this festive season.”

Paddy Carmody, Frontline Marketing Manager at The Coca-Cola Company, said: “For generations, Coca-Cola has been part of the magic of Christmas, and nothing says the season is just around the corner quite like the arrival of our iconic Holidays Are Coming campaign. Just as Christmas FM has become a cherished tradition for listeners across Ireland, our shared mission is to bring people together and spark the joy of the festive countdown. We’re proud to be partnering with Christmas FM for the eighth year, sharing that unmistakable CocaCola Christmas spirit while supporting the incredible charities that make this time of year even more meaningful. Together, we help spread cheer, generosity, and togetherness — the very heart of Christmas.”

Pictured are Garvan Rigby, Presenter and Co-Founder of Christmas FM, with Ruth Gill, Marketing Communications Manager, An Post; Paddy Carmody, Frontline Marketing Manager at The Coca-Cola Company; and Carla Reynolds, Brand Manager at Cadbury

chocolate,” says Clotilde Rambaud. “Each piece is carefully handcrafted with love from Sligo to bring memorable moments to your celebrations.”

Award-winning artisan chocolate from Sligo’s Clo Chocolates.

The range includes a Chocolate Christmas Tree Bar of milk chocolate and crispy pearls, 85g, and a Chocolate Santa, both of which retail at €12, a Giant Gingerbread Mallow Man at €20, the Boozy Truffle Collection of nine bonbons at €22 and the Super Santa Christmas Hamper at €55.

Miconex festive ‘giveback’ campaign

Fintech Miconex have launched their 2025 national festive campaign, The Big Christmas Giveback, in Ireland as part of their ongoing commitment to powering local communities.

Running across their network of Town & City Gift Card programmes in Ireland, the Big Christmas Giveback asks for nominations for people or organisations who have a positive impact on their

Christmas Stocking: Essentials

Festive recruitment drive underway at Tesco TESCO recently launched a significant festive recruitment drive as they seek to fill over 1,100 temporary roles across Ireland this Christmas, offering flexible opportunities for those seeking work during the busy season.

“We’re delighted to be creating over 1,100 festive roles across the country this Christmas,” said Maurice Kelly, People Director at Tesco Ireland. “These roles will support our existing colleagues to help us deliver the best possible service to customers throughout the festive season and provide new team members with access to an industry-leading benefits package from day one. If you’re not already part of the team and are looking for extra hours or want to give retail a try, this is a fantastic time to join our team and make a real difference in your local community.”

community.

The person or organisation with the most nominations will win a €1000 Town & City Gift Card of their choice, with one person who nominated them winning a €500 Town & City Gift Card.

Over €53 million has been spent through Miconex’s local gift cards to date, with over 20,000 businesses participating, and 2025 sales up 115% year on year. The mix of independent and national businesses which accept the local gift cards, including shops, restaurants, salons, hotels, attractions and services, makes them unique in the sector. Between 50% and 100% of cards are redeemed with independent businesses.

The Big Christmas Giveback from Miconex is rewarding a person or organisation who has had a positive impact on their community with a €1,000 Town & City Gift Card of their choice.

Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA) data from September 2025 has shown that gift card sales surpassed €2 billion among members in the first six months of 2025, showing 11.8% year on year growth. Digital gift cards surged almost 50% year on year, while multi-choice gift cards like Town & City Gift Cards expanded by 37%.

Lidl serve up a festive feast

LIDL Ireland served up a festive treat for foodies, with Feast by Lidl, an immersive festive pop-up curated by Michelin-starred chef Oliver Dunne.

This two-sided dining experience asked diners ‘Are you Naughty or Nice?’, as the chef brought Lidl’s Deluxe Christmas range to life through two distinct fivecourse tasting menus – one celebrating traditional favourites and the other reimagining the nation’s most divisive festive dishes – perfectly paired with Lidl’s award-winning wines, beers and spirits, selected by Master of Wine Richard Bampfield.

“Feast by Lidl is a Christmas dining experience like no other. Christmas dinner is sacred; it’s about comfort, nostalgia and family,” noted Oliver Dunne. “But food should also surprise you. Feast by Lidl takes the familiar and flips it on its head, proving that great food and great value can absolutely share the same table.”

Lidl Ireland donated proceeds to their charity partner, Family Carers Ireland, supporting their vital work for family carers across the country.

Tesco Ireland’s People Director, Maurice Kelly (third from left) pictured alongside colleagues from Tesco Extra Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

New festive mystery flavour from Pringles

Pringles have released their first ever mystery festive flavour in Ireland and the UK, Santa's Secret Flavour. This new seasonal-inspired tube will keep friends and family guessing this Christmas.

THE Christmas countdown is on as Pringles, the number one large sharing crisp brand in Ireland, (Source: Nielsen Scan Track, share of sales units, L52 weeks to September 7, 2025), are turning up the festive fun with the launch of a brand-new Christmas-inspired mystery flavour - Santa's Secret Flavour.

After the sell-out success of their first mystery flavour earlier this year, Pringles are adding a seasonal twist to their viral guessing game. Designed to spark festive debate around the table, the limited-edition flavour is a playful puzzle for taste buds, which will have people guessing with every crunch.

Available across major supermarkets from September, the early arrival of Santa's Secret Flavour will get savoury snackers in the mood for the festive season.

The festive line-up

But Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the classics. Back by popular demand, Pringles Christmas limited-edition packaging across Original, Sour Cream and Onion, Salt and Vinegar, and Texas BBQ 165g made an iconic return to shelves from October.

Staples for fans, they promise to bring bold flavour and moments of fun to snack bowls at the Christmas table.

Getting people talking and tasting

“Our Mystery Flavour seriously got people talking – and tasting – so we knew we had to bring the fun back for Christmas,” revealed Ann Rose Eng, Senior Brand Activation Manager, Pringles (Kellanova). “Snackers loved trying to guess the secret blend, and this new festive edition is amping up that excitement once again. Santa’s Secret Flavour is rich, surprising, and not what fans would expect from Pringles. With our limited-edition packaging on the classic flavours too, it’s the ultimate line-up to kick off the festive season.”

For more information, visit www.pringles.com/ie/home.html

Santa’s Secret Flavour, the new festive limited edition flavour from Pringles.

The Pringles range will be available in special, limited edition festive-themed packaging this Christmas. Christmas Stocking:

Christmas Stocking: Drinks Market

How to market for moderation?

Cormac Healy, Director, Drinks Ireland, on the changing face of the Irish drinks market, where the majority of consumers are drinking less, but drinking better.

IRELAND’S alcohol consumption levels continue to fall per capita, with the latest figures from Drinks Ireland suggesting that consumption levels continue to drop.

“Per capita consumption in Ireland has fallen by 34% since 2001, which is phenomenal,” explains Cormac Healy, Director, Drinks Ireland.

Drinks Ireland have had a “hectic” 2025 so far, according to Cormac, primarily driven by President Trump’s tariff announcements. “Our attention has been on the export scene and the turbulence since March/ April. Obviously, some of the uncertainty has been taken out of it, but it has been taken out at a cost of 15% tariffs.”

One of the other big issues for Drinks Ireland this year has been Ireland’s proposed labelling regulations and the organisation welcomed July’s Government decision to defer additional labelling requirements on drinks producers operating in the Irish market, where it seems that common sense finally prevailed.

Cormac Healy, Director, Drinks Ireland.

Moderation a key trend

“The deferment was a step that gave businesses in the sector some breathing space when they were focused on trying to contend with massive trade uncertainty, with strong economic headwinds working against it. In large parts of Q2 and Q3, up to 90% of distilling in the country was suspended. The reality is that over the course of the year, unfortunately, we've seen a number of smaller businesses on the distilling side have to close their doors.”

Drinks Ireland believe that any labelling changes should be taken in concert with our fellow EU member states to “preserve the integrity of the single market and to avoid unnecessary disruption to trade”.

Falling consumption levels are here to stay, according to Drinks Ireland, with moderation a key trend across all age categories, but particularly evident when it comes to younger consumers.

“There is and continues to be a change in consumption patterns and in consumers' relationship with alcohol,” Cormac stresses. “We are seeing moderation. We are seeing people looking for balance in their consumption. Per capita alcohol consumption has fallen by over a third since the turn of the millennium. Last year alone, it was down four and a half percent.”

Cormac notes, however, that “while the figures definitely show that people are moderating, looking for balance, but the value of getting out and having a drink remains huge in terms of social connection and bringing people together.”

One of the big beneficiaries of falling

alcohol consumption rates is the nonalcohol category, which continues to show strong growth. The non-alcohol market is primarily driven by beer, with some very high profile brands helping to grow the market, but Cormac is keen to stress that the growth of zero-alcohol spirits and wine continues apace, and in the cider category, growth of non-alcohol cider is up by a whopping 14%, albeit from a small base.

Non-alcohol beer remains the flag-bearer, however, with a 25% increase in market share in 2024, leading to a 150% increase over the last five years, to the point where it now claims 2.5% of the overall beer market.

“While this has grown from a low base, the trend is significant and fast growing. I think it's pointing to a real consumer demand and a real consumer enthusiasm. As more choice comes available and awareness grows of non-alcohol beers,

Christmas Stocking: Drinks Market

Irish drinkers are drinking less, but drinking better.

we will see that growth and acceptance continuing,” he predicts.

Cormac stresses that the vast majority of consumers of non-alcohol beer are existing alcohol drinkers. “They are substituting a non-alcohol beer for their usual drink, so it is assisting in moderation and I believe that as the category grows and choice increases, we are going to see this continue to grow.”

Familiar, trusted brands have also played a key role in the rise of non-alcohol options. A recent European Commission study found that brand loyalty remains “very important” in the low- and non-alcohol market, mirroring consumer behaviour

in the alcohol beer sector, where nearly three quarters of consumers cited brand recognition as a key driver of choice.

Cormac points to other international markets, where the non-alcohol sector accounts for one in every 15 drinks sold, and some markets, like Spain and Poland, where the non-alcohol sector accounts for double-digit market share, so there is plenty of scope for further growth.

One big plus for off-licence owners is the fact that while the off-trade accounts for approximately 36.3% of value sales in the overall beer market, with the on-trade accounting for the lion’s share, those figures are effectively reversed when it

comes to non-alcohol beer, with the offtrade accounting for 63% of sales.

Premiumisation

The other notable trend, along with moderation is that of premiumisation, whereby Irish people are drinking less but drinking better.

“Consumers are premiumising, in terms of what the drink and in terms of the overall experience,” Cormac explains. “When you dig down into some of the figures where you see an overall dip in a category, the premium end or the super-premium end of that category is actually seeing an uptick.”

This is evident across a variety of sectors, according to Cormac, including spirits, but also in cider, where the overall category is down by 4% but premium ciders are bucking the trend and growing at 1.3%.

In 2024, super premium gins in Ireland increased by +11.5%, while standard gins decreased by 9.5%.

The vodka category retains the largest share of the Irish spirits market, accounting for a 29% share, just ahead of whiskey, at 27%. Overall vodka sales declined 2.5% but premium-priced brands did fare better, with super premium brands of vodka increasing sales by 24.8% in 2024.

Ready to Drink (RTDs) grew 14.8% and were the second fastest growing category in Ireland, their convenience and taste obviously appealing to the time-pressed consumers. Within RTDs, Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages (FABs) account for 47% of the market and grew by a healthy 10.4% in 2024. Cocktails and long drinks account for just over a quarter of the market in volume but only grew by a relatively modest 5.1% in 2024. Wine spritzers & coolers command 17% of the volumes sold in RTDs and grew by an impressive 30.1%. However, it was the smallest sub-category of RTDs, launched in Ireland in 2020, Hard Seltzers, which grew the most in 2024, adding 47.2% to the category size.

Tequila was the fastest growing spirits category in Ireland in 2024, growing by 22.8% in 2024. However, it is worth remembering that Agave-based spirits, such as Tequila, account for just 1.4% of the Irish spirits market. The appetite for premium brands was also evident here, as super-premium tequila brands grew by 107.8% and ultra-premium by 29.6% in 2024, albeit off small bases.

Irish cream sales growth performance continues to outpace the wider spirits category. In 2024, sales volumes increased 12.3% vs 2023 in Ireland. Value brands of Irish cream grew by 17.1%, and even more encouragingly, growth in premium priced

Christmas Stocking: Drinks Market

Irish cream grew by 10%.

While beer remains Ireland’s most popular alcohol beverage, with a 43.3% share of the market in 2024 – a gain of nearly 1% compared to 2023 - total beer sales in Ireland declined by 1.6% in 2024, the second consecutive year of decline.

Overall, beer production levels increased by 10.7%, driven by exports, which grew by 3.8% to €330 million.

2024, stout saw its market share continue to grow by almost 1% to 35.9%. Ale’s market share fell by 10% to 4.4%.

“The three big trends we are seeing are moderation, premiumisation and a drive for innovation,” Cormac summarises. “Whether it’s in the nonalcohol category or in premium spirits and beers, consumers are always looking for something new and the need and the continued push for innovation is greater than ever.”

The call for excise reduction

Drinks Ireland were disappointed that Ireland’s excise levels were not cut in Budget 2026 – along with other representative bodies like the Licensed Vintners Association and the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, they had been calling for a 10% reduction in excise levels.

“We were really disappointed that a drop in excise levels didn’t happen, but we will keep the focus on excise levels, working with colleagues across the sector, including vintners, restaurants and hotels, in pushing for a reduction in excise. The reality is that we are still the second highest in the EU when it comes to overall excise levies, and second highest by a considerable amount,” Cormac states.

Lager remained the dominant beer category in the Irish market, despite decreasing slightly for the second consecutive year to 57.2% of the market. In At Christmas, many consumers trade up to premium drink products, including in the wine sector.

“The core message that we have to get across is that our consumption has fallen to the EU norm – we are now behind the UK and 14 EU member states in terms of per capita consumption – and we really need to see the level of excise tax charged start moving towards the EU norm as well, rather than being out there at second highest.”

He wants Irish politicians and lawmakers to recognise the contribution the drinks industry makes to our economy and our attractiveness as a tourist destination, as well as taking into account the reality of our falling consumption levels when considering any new legislation.

“We have a great drinks manufacturing heritage, history, and expertise in the country across a host of categories,” he concludes. “These are hugely important industries from an economic perspective, including exports, the domestic market and the fact that they bring in tourists. We need our policymakers to understand that we have seen a dramatic change in consumption habits and that those trends are going to continue. We need to take that into consideration in how we regulate the sector, and how we tax the sector.”

The craft beer sector continues to prove extremely popular with Irish consumers.

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Christmas Stocking: Spirits

The festive spirits

Spirit sales usually soar around Christmas, as consumers trade up to their favourite premium brands for gifting and home entertaining.

SPIRITS sales traditionally peak in the run-up to Christmas, as consumers stock up on their favourite brands for at-home entertaining and also for gifting.

While the latest report into the Irish sprits market from Drinks Ireland – Spirits, found that spirits’ share of the Irish alcohol drinks market fell slightly in 2024 to account for 22.3% of sales, there was better news for some sectors, notably premium and ultra-premium brands.

Irish Whiskey sales at home stabilised in 2024, up slightly by 0.8%, an improvement on the 2% decline in the previous 12 months. Irish Cream sales growth performance continues to outpace the wider spirits category. In 2024, sales volumes increased 12.3% vs 2023 in

Ireland. Value brands of Irish Cream grew by 17.1%, and even more encouragingly, growth in premium priced Irish Cream grew by 10%.

Gin sales accounted for 11.4% of the total spirits market, which reflects some decline in volume. In line with many other categories, Gin sales actually increased at the premium end of the market, with super premium gins growing by 11.5%. Similar trends were noted in the vodka sector, where super premium brands increased sales by 24.8% in 2024.

Ready to Drink (RTDs) grew 14.8% and were the second fastest growing category in Ireland, while Tequila was the fastest growing spirits category, albeit from a small base.

Cointreau

Cointreau’s liqueur bottles are now made from “two-thirds recycled glass”. The recent brand refresh is the most momentous of its kind in 140 years, with both the bottle and the label being altered.

As well as looking to boost its sustainability credentials by using recycled glass, convenience and practicality was also a consideration when redesigning the bottle. The bottle has been made four millimetres taller to facilitate its grip and make it easier to hold. Similarly, the newly textured cap “provides better grip for an easier twist-off” while simulating the skin of an orange. However, the bottle still displays traditional design features such as the Cointreau medallion.

Spirit lovers, both past and present, recognise Cointreau as a core building block in premium cocktails creation. Cointreau is the cornerstone of more than 350 internationally renowned cocktails such as the Margarita, Sidecar and Cosmopolitan. It enhances cocktails with its perfect balance. Check out cointreau.com for some cocktail ideas.

Refreshing, versatile, and easy to make. It’s no surprise the Margarita is one of the world’s favourite cocktails. Created in 1948 by Margaret Sames, the original recipe is simple and has remained unchanged since the beginning: Cointreau, tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, and a salt rim. In fact, Cointreau and the Margarita are so inseparable that Sames famously proclaimed, “A Margarita without Cointreau is not worth its salt.”

For more than 30 years, the finest orange peels are carefully selected by Master Distiller, Carole Quinton, to create

Cointreau is a core building block in premium cocktails creation.

the definitive orange liqueur. Cointreau is distributed by Barry & Fitzwilliam.

Remy Martin

Since 1724, the House of Rémy Martin has produced exceptional spirits that consistently appeal to the world's most discerning connoisseurs. A profound love of the land, a continuity of family ownership and a passionate commitment to excellence have sustained Rémy Martin for nearly three centuries. As a result of its masterful production and generations of tradition in Cognac, today Rémy Martin produces Cognacs Fine Champagne, including Rémy Martin XO, Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal and Rémy Martin VSOP.

Rémy Martin VSOP is composed of eauxde-vie coming exclusively from the highestquality vineyards of Cognac, the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. Such eaux-de-vie offer an exceptional ageing potential and are known as Cognac Fine Champagne.

In 1927, Rémy Martin’s Cellar Master André Renaud created the very first VSOP Fine Champagne, a truly visionary and audacious decision. This prestigious appellation would be officially recognized 11 years later as an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée - a specific growing area protected by French law).

Accounting for one in three bottles of VSOP consumed worldwide, Remy Martin is the benchmark for the VSOP category and is blended from spirits aged from four

Christmas Stocking: Spirits

to 12 years. This latest version finishes the cognac in old barrels for a year before bottling. Rémy Martin VSOP embodies the perfect harmony of powerful and elegant aromas. It is the symbol of the Cellar Master’s art of blending. Rémy Martin VSOP is extremely versatile, so you may enjoy it neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails. Distributors Barry & Fitzwilliam recommend drinking Rémy Martin VSOP with ginger ale or as Remy Grand Tonic made by mixing Remy Martin VSOP over ice, topped with tonic and finished with a wedge of fresh lemon.

Edward Dillon & Co.

Hennessy Cognac has a great Irish heritage. Richard Hennessy was born in Killavullen in Co Cork in 1724. Like many young Irishmen of the time, he was forced to leave the country. He joined the Irish Brigade of the French army and after 12 years of service, left to settle in Ostend, where he became a successful merchant/ trader. He spent nine years working as a spirit trader in Ostend and on seeing the potential for the brandy business, moved to Cognac to set up his own business in 1765. Today, Hennessy is one of the biggest selling Cognacs on the Irish market and around the world.

The range includes Hennessy VSOP (Very Special Old Pale), where the youngest Cognac in the blend must have been aged for a minimum of four years old and a maximum of 15 years. This is a blend of

aged cognac; the secret to its quality lies in the skills of the master blender who creates it. Aged in French Oak barrels, this is a heavier style with lots of spice and cedarwood flavours and is enormously popular at Christmas with Irish Cognac lovers.

Hennessy XO is the signature iconic style of premium Cognac from the Hennessy stable. A rich distinctive blended Cognac that has been aged for a minimum of 10 years in French oak, this offers the ultimate tasting experience.

Boann Distillery

This Christmas, Boann Distillery have a range of special festive gift packs available. From handcrafted gins to exceptional Irish whiskeys, each gift embodies the quality and innovation that make a gift from Boann Distillery one to remember.

The Silks Irish Gin Gift Pack is a beautifully presented gift for gin lovers.

1724.

The Silks Irish Gin Gift Pack is a beautifully presented gift for gin lovers. Crafted in small batches with apple blossom, honey, and elderflower from the Cooney family’s own orchards, Silks is a crisp gin with bright citrus notes and delicate floral aromas that captures the essence of the Boyne Valley. The gift pack includes a 70cl bottle of Silks Irish Gin, two branded gin glasses, and a jigger.

Discover the distinctive character, depth and warmth that make Irish whiskey so beloved with Boann’s Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys. The three exceptional expressions (Marsala, Madeira, and PX) have been triple-distilled and matured in a variety of meticulously selected casks, giving each its own unique character and

Rémy Martin have been producing exceptional spirits that consistently appeal to the world's most discerning connoisseurs since

Christmas Stocking: Spirits

been

Bushmills

Bushmills Irish Whiskey, from the world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery, recently announced the introduction of Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt to their core portfolio offering across the island of Ireland. This unmistakably smooth, triple distilled expression joins the Bushmills line-up following high customer demand.

Bushmills 12 Year Old is triple distilled from 100% Irish malted barley and matured in a combination of Oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, before being finished in Marsala wine barriques from Sicily. This triple-cask maturation, extended ageing period and use of marsala barriques delivers an elevated depth of flavour, layering ripe spiced fruit, caramelised brown sugar, and subtle nutty dryness over Bushmills’ signature smoothness.

flavour profile. Crafted using Boyne Valley well water and local grains, and bottled at 47% ABV with no added colour, each expression is presented in a bespoke

The Whistler PX I Love You Single Malt is the ideal gift for whiskey lovers who appreciate elegance and depth.

package - an ideal gift for whiskey aficionados.

A standout from The Whistler range, PX I Love You Single Malt is finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, offering notes of dried fruits, sherry, and brown sugar. Luxurious and full-bodied, it’s the ideal gift for whiskey lovers who appreciate elegance and depth.

For those looking to explore Boann’s Whistler collection, The Whistler Mini Packs are the perfect stocking fillers. Each set contains three 50cl bottles with The Whistler Trilogy Set offering a tasting journey across the core range, the Malts & Grains Pack and the Cask Finish & Blends Pack.

Located in the Boyne Valley, Boann Distillery is a family-owned craft distillery committed to reshaping the future of Irish spirits. Known for its innovation and dedication to traditional distilling methods, its whiskeys and gin have won multiple awards, with exports now reaching 70 markets worldwide. The family was recently named Family Food and Drink Producer of the Year at the 2025 Family Business Awards, recognising the Cooney family’s outstanding contribution to Irish craftsmanship, innovation, and enterprise.

The introduction of Bushmills 12 Year Old comes on the back of strong international demand, with the expression already enjoying impressive

Boann’s Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys - Marsala, Madeira, and PX - have

triple-distilled and matured in a variety of meticulously selected casks, giving each its own unique character and flavour profile.

Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt is now available across the island of Ireland, following strong demand internationally.

TWO legends of Wicklow craft, Glendalough Distillery and Wicklow Wolf Brewery, have come together to create The Still Hand, a bold limitededition 13.1% Barleywine aged, in Glendalough’s ex-Oloroso whiskey barrels. Inspired by the legend of St Kevin’s still hand, where he kept his hand perfectly still, giving a blackbird the time to nest and hatch her young, this collaboration celebrates a simple truth: good things take time.

The Barleywine is aged in the same Oloroso casks used for Glendalough's awardwinning Double Barrel Irish Whiskey, sourced from Montilla, a small town in the rolling hills of the Spanish countryside. Each cask is hand-selected for its liquid and terroir through the trusted relationships Glendalough has built over years, ensuring the highest quality and exceptional flavor. Every pour reflects the essence of this land and the craft behind it.

Christmas Stocking: Spirits

Ciarán ‘Rowdy’ Rooney, Head Distiller at Glendalough Distillery, commented: “This collaboration has been a long time coming. We’ve been neighbours and friends for years, so it’s brilliant to finally come together on something that truly celebrates Wicklow craft. Both Glendalough and Wicklow Wolf share the same passion for patience, quality ingredients, and doing things the right way. These barrels were custom made for us from fine European Oak, seasoned with premium Oloroso for

growth across the USA and Asia. Building on this momentum, Bushmills are proud to finally introduce their 12 Year Old Single Malt to their home market, giving whiskey lovers the chance to enjoy a globally celebrated expression that’s already a firm favourite amongst discerning single malt fans worldwide.

“Bushmills 12 Year Old is already experiencing dynamic growth across the USA and Asia... and we’re proud to now be able to share this expression at home,” noted Master Blender Alex Thomas. “With 12 years of maturation, a triple-cask approach, and a rare Marsala wine finish, it delivers deeper layers of flavour, while staying true to the beautifully balanced,

years before we filled them with our Irish Grain Whiskey for our Double Barrel. Freshly emptied, we delivered them to Wicklow Wolf and they have added incredible depth, with notes of dried fruit, oak, and gentle spice, that really complement the flavours of this amazing Barleywine. It beautifully connects the worlds of Wicklow whiskey and beer.”

John Allen, Head of Production at Wicklow Wolf, added: “We’ve always admired Glendalogh’s dedication to their craft, so working together on The Still Hand felt like a natural fit. It’s a celebration of time, place and process, that happens when you slow down and let flavour evolve. The beer is big, bold and unmistakably Wicklow.”

triple-distilled style Bushmills is known for. That unique Marsala influence brings a special hint of Sicilian sunshine – a rich new dimension to our portfolio.”

Since 1608, Bushmills has been driven to pioneer and perfect the greatest Irish single malt whiskey, drawing inspiration from the artistry, craftsmanship, and landscapes of Northern Ireland’s rugged coastline. Located in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty beside the rugged Causeway Coast, all of Bushmills single malts are crafted exclusively from 100% Irish malted barley and pure water from St Columb’s Rill – a tributary of the River Bush. “Our geology and geography mean our malts have a distinct north coast

character”, explains Alex.

For over four centuries, Bushmills have remained dedicated to the art of whiskeymaking, refining time-honoured techniques passed down through generations of craftspeople, storytellers, and pioneers. Overseeing every stage of production onsite from malt distillation and maturation to blending and bottling, Bushmills are proud to be one of the world’s few grain-toglass distilleries. Meticulously crafted by a community of whiskey makers, the distillery is deeply rooted in the village that shares its name. As Alex Thomas passionately adds, “without the whiskey there would be no village, and without the village there would be no whiskey.”

Wicklow legends unite to create barleywine

The Still Hand, a limited edition barleywine from Glendalough Distillery and Wicklow Wolf Brewery.

Christmas Stocking: Wine

Christmas corkers!

Jean Smullen highlights some of the special wines, including Champagne, to help your customers to celebrate in style this Christmas.

DURING the 2025 Christmas season, we can expect consumers to increase their spend on affordable luxuries, such as quality wines.

The ‘drink less, drink better’ trend is still very much in evidence, driven largely by increases in the cost of living. Consumers are going out less often, and the big night out has evolved into the big night in. Though in general, people are consuming less alcohol, they still want to treat themselves and that should result in greater demand for more premium wines in the off trade this Christmas.

Sales of New World wines are still the dominant trend for the Irish market, though this is slightly changing. In 2023, New World Wine sales accounted for 58.06% of the market against 41.4% for European wine. However, it should be noted that

in 2020 the European market share was 39.50%, which means the market for European wine has increased by 1.9% over a three-year period.

Accounting for 48% of the market, white wine continues to be the nation’s favourite, ahead of red by four percentage points. 2023 also saw growth in non-alcoholic wine sales, as well as trends to lower ABV wines and organic wines.

Sparkling wine, which includes, Champagne, Cava, and Prosecco, showed an increase in market share during 2023. Prosecco continues to lead the way in terms of popularity, but Cava, Crémant and non-alcoholic sparkling wine also performed well. The market for sparkling wines grew by +0.8% during 2023-24.

During the same period, sales of nonalcoholic sparkling increased by +8.4%.

As households prepare for the Christmas season, demand for inclusivity and variety at the table grows. No- and low-alcohol wines enable hosts to cater for all tastes, while allowing retailers to capture incremental sales during a key trading period.

Barry & Fitzwilliam

‘Wine Geese’ is the name for emigrant Irish families who in the 17th century were involved in wine production in France. Thomas Lynch Fitz-Ambrose was Mayor of Galway in 1654; his son Thomas emigrated to Bordeaux and became the owner of Château Lynch Bages. The Michel Lynch range was created in 1986 by the current owners, the Cazes family, to honour the Lynch family. The range includes a red, white, and rosé made from grapes grown in Macau in the Gironde. The brand has been available here for nearly 40 years and today has a significant customer following. This Christmas, Barry & Fitzwilliam will be offering Michel Lynch Wooden Gift Box, containing a red and a white, in SuperValu/

Christmas Stocking: Wine

Centra and Dunnes Stores for €30.

Villa Maria, New Zealand's premier wine brand, has achieved significant success in Ireland, becoming the country's leading New Zealand wine label. 2024 was a record year for sales. Sauvignon Blanc is leading the way, with Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay all growing steadily. Its diverse and award-winning portfolio caters to a wide range of consumer preferences, from everyday wines to premium selections. Later this year, we will see vintage 2025 on shelf with a beautiful new look label across the range.

The Private Bin Range, Villa Maria's flagship line, renowned for its consistency and quality, includes: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec.

Barry & Fitzwilliam will be offering a price promotion offer for the Private Bin range. Villa Maria Private Bin Range, including the Sauvignon Blush, will be on offer this Christmas for €13, down from €16.99.

Selected retailers can avail of the 6 for €50 case offer for Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc.

The Reserve Range showcases the best of Marlborough's terroir; this premium line includes Reserve Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairau Valley, featuring tropical fruit and herbaceous notes.

The Cellar Selection range is a collection of limited-edition wines with unique characteristics, such as Cellar Selection Pinot Noir, a complex red with dark fruit and earthy undertones.

Blush Sauvignon Blanc is a unique blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Merlot, offering a pale pink hue and flavours of passionfruit and cranberry with a stunning new label. Villa Maria Blush Sauvignon Blanc delivers the taste experience of New Zealand’s favourite white wine with a beautiful pale pink twist. There is a new

look for Villa Maria Blush Sauvignon Blanc from vintage 2024.

One of the fastest growing wine brands in the Barry & Fitzwilliam portfolio, the Graham Norton range of wines will also be on offer. Look out for GN Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, and Rose on offer for €12, and the GN Frizzante Bianco & Rosé for an offer price of €11.50.

Australian’s biggest selling wine brand on the Irish market, the McGuigan Black Label Range, is available on a save €3 promotion during November and December 2025.

Kylie Minogue Wines is an elegant portfolio of bespoke wines, crafted with passion and integrity, perfect for every occasion. Launched in 2020 on Kylie’s birthday, May 28, the rosé quickly became one of the most successful launches in its category ever. Kylie Minogue Wines have evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, with over nine million bottles sold since launch (that’s over 43 million glasses of Kylie Minogue Wine poured) and is available to purchase in 32 countries.

Kylie Minogue now has five rosés in her wine portfolio, offering a wine for every occasion - Sparkling Prosecco Spumante, Sparkling Prosecco Frizzante, Cotes des Provence, Signature Rosé and 0% Alcohol Sparkling Rosé.

The Kylie Minogue wine range will be on promo in November and December for €10.

Actress, writer, podcaster and now wine brand owner, Amy Huberman launched her new wine range this year.

Kylie Minogue Wines have evolved into a worldwide phenomenon, with over nine million bottles sold since their launch in 2020.

There are two wines in the range, Ah Sauvignon Blanc, made from fruit grown in DO Utiel-Requena, and Ah Brut Rosé, a bottle fermented Cava produced in Catalonia from the Garnacha grape. Amy Huberman’s Ah Sauvignon Blanc will be on offer in Tesco Ireland at €12, with the Ah Brut Rosé for €18. One of the first wines from DO Rías Biaxas to land on the Irish market over 30 years ago was Bodegas Martin Codax from the heart of Galicia’s Salnés Valley. Today it is still enormously popular with lovers of the Albariño grape, which has a significant following on the Irish market. Martin Codax Albariño will be on offer in

Villa Maria is the leading New Zealand wine label in Ireland.

Christmas Stocking: Wine

Cockburn’s is available in a striking new redesigned look, which references the brand’s 200-year-old heritage.

Super Valu for €15 during December.

Fortified wine is another wine style that the consumer turns to as Christmas approaches, when the demand for Port and Sherry is very strong, with Cockburn’s Port and Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry two winter favourites from Barry & FItzwilliam.

Cockburn’s is available in a striking new redesigned range. With careful reference to the brand’s 200-year-old heritage, the new innovative designs mark a new, exciting chapter for Cockburn’s and continue the house’s reputation for defying convention and challenging the norm. Cockburn’s premium range – including the 2014 Quinta dos Canais Vintage Port, Late Bottled Vintage, and 10 and 20 Year Old Tawny Ports – showcase a vivid new look featuring illustrations by artist, Song Kang, that depict playful vignettes from the brand’s 200-year-old history.

Charlotte Symington (5th generation), Port Category Manager, said, “We believe this fresh approach with an emphasis on visual storytelling will inspire people to see port in an entirely new light, while also speaking to those already loyal to the brand with a strong new look for Cockburn’s Special Reserve”.

Bibendum Ireland

Bottega is a premium Prosecco house with a strong brand visibility. Their premium Bottega Gold Prosecco with its distinctive Gold Bottle, is made from hand-picked grapes and fermented for nearly 40 days to give it added complexity. Their Bottega Prosecco Rosé Gold is made from a blend of Glera (85%) and Pinot Noir (15%). Prosecco DOC Rosé is now a popular wine style and very much in demand. This Christmas, the Sparkling Christmas offer from Bibendum Ireland will include the Bottega Gold and Bottega Rose Gold available from Carry Out and Fine Wines stores for €29.99.

The No Lo category continues to gain momentum across global markets. Within this growing segment, Santa Rita’s 120 has established itself as a trusted choice. The range includes 120 Zero.4 Sauvignon Blanc and 120 Zero.4 Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the classic 120 Pinot Grigio and Merlot.

From the other side of the Andes, the Doña Paula Estate Malbec Argentine Edition offers vibrant dark fruit, subtle spice, and velvety tannins, the perfect Christmas present for wine lovers.

Independent retailers should make sure to stock the Malbado Malbec 2023,

awarded Best New World Red under €20 at the 24th annual Irish Wine Show Star Awards. Selected from over 600 entries, the Malbado 2023 impressed judges with its silky elegance, pure blueberry and plum fruit, a touch of spice, mineral nuances, and fine tannins, offering exceptional quality at an accessible price.

Comans Beverages

Comans Beverages Ltd were the proud recipients of two Gold Star Awards at this year’s prestigious Irish Wine Show Star Awards. Their Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2024 from South Africa was a Gold Medal winner in the New World White Under €12 category and their Barramundi Shiraz 2023 from Australia was a Gold Medal winner in the New World Red Under €12 category.

Comans Beverages are delighted to announce their new partnership with Bread & Butter Wines, one of California’s fastest growing premium wine brands. Created in Napa Valley, the range includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, all retailing at €20.

These well-made, approachable wines with their stylish packaging, and

Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2024 & Barramundi Shiraz 2023: double Gold Medal Winners at the Irish Wine Show Star Awards 2025, celebrating excellence in New World wines under € 12.

Christmas Stocking: Wine

Comans Beverages have announced a new partnership with Bread & Butter Wines, one of California’s fastest-growing premium wine brands.

strong brand recognition, are a perfect fit for the comprehensive Comans Beverages offering on the Irish market.

The Dada range, one of the stalwarts in the Comans stable, is made up of Dada 1, a blend of Malbec and Bonarda, Dada 2 Merlot and Dada 3 Cabernet/ Shiraz, as well as Dada White Malbec. This Christmas, Coman’s are proud to introduce the latest to the Dada range, Dada Caramel; this exciting flavour is bound to be a seasonal favourite with the growing band of Dada consumers.

Dada Caramel, a deliciously smooth caramelflavoured red, tipped to be this Christmas’s must-try wine.

Mionetto Prosecco is Italy’s favourite brand of Prosecco. The winery was founded in Valdobbiadene in 1887 by master winemaker Francesco Mionetto, where today the wine is still produced on the original site. On international markets, Mionetto Prosecco

Mionetto, Italy's favourite Prosecco brand.

achieves the highest volume sales, where it outperforms many other leading Prosecco brands. With its distinctive premium labelling, there are three wines in the range: Mionetto DOC Treviso Spumante Brut, Mionetto DOC Rosé Prosecco and Mionetto DOC Treviso Frizzante. All punch well above their weight in terms of their price/quality ratio. This Christmas season, look out for Mionetto Magnums, perfect for Christmas celebrations, and Mionetto 0.0%, a non-alcoholic option.

Casillero del Diablo

Ben Smith of Concha y Toro Europe told Retail News that the Diablo brand is continuing to show fantastic growth in the Irish market. The disruptive brand, whose slogan is ‘disobediently good,’ has shown a growth in sales of +17% in value year-on-year (against a category which is contracting slightly), and is now worth over €2 million in value sales annually. This autumn, Diablo have launched a brandnew wine to join the trailblazing Diablo Dark Red. The Diablo Velvet Merlot, has just arrived on Irish shelves and is currently available in Tesco stores.

Their other leading brands, Casillero del Diablo and Trivento, continue to perform well on the Irish market. Casillero del Diablo Zero Sparkling, which has gained much recognition and positive reception in the UK, will shortly be available in Ireland. Casillero del Diablo Zero Sparkling is the perfect fizz for those who choose not to drink alcohol for whatever reason.

Edward Dillon & Co

The LVMH Champagne houses, distributed in Ireland by Edward Dillon, are the crème de la crème of premium Champagne and are a must stock this Christmas season. Make sure you stock the prestigious champagne from Krug and Dom Perignon. Each house is renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and rich heritage, and these iconic champagnes are very much in demand, especially from the corporate sector.

Since 1843, the House of Krug has produced some of the world’s greatest Champagne styles. Including Krug Grand Cuvee 172 (RSP €295.50) Krug Rosé 28ème Édition (RSP €597.20) and Krug Vintage 2008 (RSP €1,430.00).

Elegant, full-bodied, and classic, Dom Pérignon 2013 (RSP €286.25) or Dom Pérignon Rosé (RSP €491.05) are fantastic examples from this world-famous vintage only Champagne house.

Diablo Dark Red continues to blaze a trail on the Irish market.

*Nielsen, Ireland, 52we to 07.09.2025

+17% YOY*

Christmas Stocking: Wine

Two of the best known and most popular Champagnes are also part of the Edward Dillon stable: Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial Gift Box (RRP €61) is the signature expression of the House style, or for the fans the Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial (RRP €68.45). The most recent vintage Moët Grand Vintage 2016 (RRP €88.60) is on release or for those who enjoy something sweet, Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial (RSP €78.25) the first and only champagne especially created to be enjoyed over ice.

The classic Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label (RSP €66) is Veuve Clicquot's signature champagne, created from a unique collection of reserve wines. Look out for its new look bottle. Veuve Clicquot Rosé (RSP €79.75) is the expression of Madame Clicquot’s ingenious and audacious spirit, when 1818 she created the first blended rosé champagne.

Findlater & Co

Findlater & Co have an extensive range of premium Champagne for the busy 2025 Christmas trading period. Their portfolio includes Champagne Bollinger, founded in 1829 in the village of Aÿ by Jacques Bollinger and Paul Renaudin. The house remains one of the few independent familyrun Champagne producers to this day. This Christmas, make sure you stock Bollinger Special Cuvee, the ultimate expression of the house’s artistry. It delivers layers of brioche, roasted apple, and hazelnut, with a creamy texture alongside an elegant, lingering finish.

Champagne Lanson, with a history dating back to 1760, is one of the oldest houses in Champagne and among the first to export its wines across Europe. Lanson’s distinctive style is created by choosing not to undergo malolactic fermentation. By doing this, the winemaking team retains the crisp acidity and vitality of the grapes. The flagship Le Black Label Brut is a perfect example of the style. With its bright citrus notes, fine bubbles, and refined finish, it offers remarkable versatility whether served as an aperitif or paired with festive dishes.

Champagne Ayala was founded in 1860 by Edmond de Ayala, and quickly became one of the pioneers of dry Champagne. The house was acquired by the Bollinger family in 2005. Ayala Brut Majeur perfectly captures the house’s signature style, with delicate notes of white flowers, citrus, and brioche. This is a Champagne of grace and precision.

This Christmas, Findlater & Co will also bring an exciting selection of festive

Lidl showcase festive wines

LIDL Ireland recently held a drop-in tasting at The Blue Goose, in Dublin 2, where guests were able to sample more than 60 wines that will be hitting stores in time for the festive season. The event proved a massive success as the group highlighted some of the special wines for Christmas 2025, across a variety of price points, that deliver in terms of the price/quality ratio.

twin packs to the Irish market, available nationwide from Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Tesco, and through independent offlicences. From the bold and expressive 19 Crimes to the playful Squealing Pig, the sustainable and fruit-forward Cono Sur, the timeless elegance of Marqués de Riscal, and the sparkling sophistication of Freixenet, each twin pack has been carefully selected to deliver quality, value, and strong shelf appeal during the busiest retail season of the year.

These festive formats not only offer convenience, but also reflect Findlater & Co’s continued commitment to supporting trade partners with impactful in-store activations and compelling seasonal visibility.

Liberty Wines

Ferrari Trento is one of Italy’s most popular sparkling wines; the brand’s name is synonymous with “celebration” in Italy. In 2024, Liberty Wines were appointed the exclusive UK and Ireland importer for Ferrari Trento, Italy’s most awarded sparkling wine producer, and a symbol of the Italian art of living.

Ferrari focuses primarily on Chardonnay, which Giulio Ferrari introduced to the area, planted on the slopes of the Dolomites, between 300 and 600 metres above sea level. For premium customers, make sure you stock the Ferrari Maximum Blanc de

Blanc (RRP €53) which I was lucky enough to taste this last year when I visited the Ferrari Estate. The Maximum Blanc de Blanc is quite floral on the nose, with hints of hazelnut and orange peel. Lovely fresh green apple notes on the palate with a quite a lot of acidity which really lifted the wine.

Cassidy Wines

Sarah Richey of Cassidy Wines was pleased to highlight some of the top premium producers that they represent.

A must-stock this year is the Pio Cesare Barolo Magnum in Wooden Case (1.5L) The ultimate centrepiece for any festive table, this classic Barolo from one of Piedmont’s most historic estates offers layers of ripe cherry, rose, and tar with an unmistakable elegance and has an RRP of €150.

The Louis Roederer Collection Gift Box with Two Glasses in Gift Box sees the iconic Louis Roederer Collection Champagne presented with two fine crystal glasses (RRP €80).

At this time of year, premium Port is much sought after. The Cassidy’s range includes Taylor’s Port ‘A Century of Port’ in Wooden Gift Box, with four half-bottles from Taylor’s acclaimed 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-Year-Old Tawny Ports, while Taylor’s Port Historical Collection ‘The Globe in Gift Box is a striking decanter release inspired by 19th-century Port bottle design, housed in a beautifully crafted presentation box.

In the Retail News Directory 2025, we accidentally printed the wrong contact details for Eurospar. We would like to apologise to BWG Foods and Eurospar for this mistake, which was down to simple human error.

Please find the correct listing below:

EUROSPAR

Head Office: BWG Foods, BWG House, Greenhills Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 Y722. Tel: (01) 409 0300 Email: eurospar@bwg.ie Web: www.eurospar.ie / www.facebook.com/EUROSPARIreland

MANAGEMENT:

Sales Director EUROSPAR : Peter Dwan pdwan@bwg.ie

EUROSPAR Head of Sales: Des Smyth dsmyth@bwg.ie

EUROSPAR Marketing Manager: Claire O’Brien claire.obrien@bwg.ie

Packaging

Legislation driving change across the packaging sector

David Little, Chair of The Irish Packaging Society, explains how new legislation will affect the packaging we use and the products we buy and why we need to think differently about how and what we consume as a society.

A LOT has gone on in the area of legislation in the last 12 months. As a result, I have taken this opportunity to discuss various regulations and directives that have come into force or are coming through. This is making Packaging Technologists, Packaging Departments and NPD teams very busy. Starting with recycling, I’m briefly discussing recyclability, DRS, Circularity, EUDR, DPP and the P&PW regulations (acronyms explained later, so you’ll have to read on).

Having recently visited Irish Packaging Recycling - Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) - on a number of occasions with different student groups, I was struck, looking at the intake, how poor some people are at segregating / separating the packaging for the green bin from their other household waste. We all call it recycling, but actually, we are just the start of the process of sorting the packaging materials from our other household waste. This is then further sorted into material types at the MRF and baled, and in Ireland, it is largely sent abroad to be recycled, as we don’t have the large scale production of

cans, paper, glass, plastics, etc. Apparently 30-35% of what comes into the MRF cannot be recycled for one reason or another. It seems that people need to be better educated on the desired / allowed recycled bin content.

Materials that cannot be recycled go to recovery (incineration - to recover the calorific value in that material). There are basically two streams: a higher quality Solid Fuel Recovery (SRF), substituting in part, traditional fuels in cement plants, and Municipal Recovery, where the less valuable packaging waste, that can’t be recycled, gets incinerated for heat or energy, along with our black bins, ensuring no household waste goes to landfill.

Personally I recently received our first Brown Bin for collecting compostables and I’m delighted and amazed, how our Black Bin (140L) has reduced in both volume and weight, with the segregation of food waste to the compost bin. Another great positive change, which can be added to the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) successes, which celebrated the billionth unit returned earlier this year.

Changing attitudes through education

In regard to improving recycling rates, I believe the challenge is education, but also comes down to some people’s attitudes. Let’s say, there are maybe 10% of people that won’t ever care, and another 30% or so who will do it, but only when it suits them, and therefore will be a bit hit-and-miss on the correct bin content. I guess about 40% try to do the right thing, but don’t really, fully understand the requirements. The remaining 20% or so are keen, informed and do it right. That’s a lot of people not really helping the process as well as they could. The question is ‘how can we reach them all (but particularly that keen 40%) and educate, show, and encourage better and correct segregation?’

Here is a quick quiz to see how well you understand some of the more subtle decisions.

Quiz Questions:

1. Should items put in the recycling bin be clean and dry?

2. Should Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) be

material types at a Materials Recycling Facility and baled.

1. put in the recycled bin?

2. Should shredded paper go in the recycled bin?

3. Should multiple packaging items be bagged or boxed and then go in the recycled bin?

4. Should items made of plastic materials (other than packaging) go in the recycled bin?

(See the answers later on in the article.)

The goal for Europe is to create less waste by 2030 and use the resources more responsibly to ensure a functioning circular economy for packaging. This means new packaging has to be designed and optimised for purpose, but also for reuse, refilling and recycling, to make the resource more circular. Existing and older packaging designs should also be looked at, to see what can be done to make them more sustainable.

The key drivers for change are of course the consumer, Government / EU legislation and brand commitment. As individuals, it seems many of us only change our actions when it hits us in the pocket and the legislative carrot and stick come into play. Some brands are also much better than others. On the large side, to name a few, Unilever, Nestlé, Apple, P&G, etc. have all made good commitments to reduce or remove plastics, increase recycled content

and reduce their Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, etc.

In many cases, smaller companies have an advantage, as they are more nimble and can also benefit from real savings with a more sustainable approach, but they do need to take action and have a plan, particularly now with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations. They require higher recycled content, better recyclability

“In regard to improving recycling rates, I believe the challenge is education, but also comes down to some people’s attitudes.”

and better design for possible reuse, refilling or second life. The days of wasted space in boxes, single use plastics and a cookie cutter approach to new product development are gone.

Thinking differently

We need to think differently about the product (is it needed / sustainable?), the packaging itself (format and material), can we help reduce resources used and change to be more circular?

This is urgent and critical, as can be seen with climate change. We also have a growing world population and a growing middle class in developing regions (e.g. China and India represent 43% middle class growth by 2030.) This, of course, means they will have a higher standard of living, spending more, creating demand and growth, but in turn impacting on and using more resources.

Good packaging design in a circular economy can be used as a tool to reuse, refill, renew and recycle, helping lower climate impact and even help clean the environment. With developments in technology, packaging will not just be doing the basics of preserving, protecting, informing, selling etc. Technology such as QR codes, RFID tags and smart packaging (active and intelligent packaging) can allow for better interaction and communication between the product / brand and the

Household bins are just the start of the process of sorting packaging materials from our other household waste, which is then further sorted into

Changing attitudes to packaging waste is difficult, but it has to be done if we are to improve recycling rates.

customer. Smart packaging can provide information on the product, or linking technology can bring the consumer closer to the brand, through interactions like recipes, ‘how-to’ videos, loyalty, competition or warranty programmes etc.

Digital Product Passport (DPP)

I believe the use of this sort of technology and approach makes the likelihood of a version or extension of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) being applied by brands, by choice, in the Food and Drink sector all the more likely. This will likely make the current traditional barcode obsolete, with QR codes taking over in time. QR codes and RFID tags can hold as much detail as required and help with customer engagement, as mentioned above. For example, QR codes linked to your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP software system) are scanned at the various stages of manufacture and through the supply chain, providing product data, but also proving authenticity of the product, and can have different engagement outcomes, depending on the packaging layer. This allows, for instance, the wholesaler scanning the outer to experience entirely different information, promotions etc., than those which the enduser will see when they scan their pack label, even though the unique labels have come from the same roll or digital file.

The EU’s Digital Product Passport initiative is a cornerstone of its broader

strategy to promote a circular economy - Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The DPP initiative is expected to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions, and encourage the development of new business models centred around product longevity and resource efficiency.

According to the ESPR’s provisional agreement, products that will be prioritised for the mandatory DPP include: textiles (notably garments and footwear), furniture, chemicals, batteries, consumer electronics, electronic devices, construction products. As of now, the Digital Product Passport is not yet mandatory. However, it is expected to become a requirement for a wide range of products in the near future. The EU anticipates the adoption of DPPs, with mandatory implementation for the above product categories, estimated between 2026 and 2030. This mandate will extend across all 27 EU Member States and will apply to various product categories, particularly those with a significant environmental impact and potential for improvement, such as design for repairing, rather than obsolescence.

EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR)

The new EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) are coming into effect by the end of this year. The EUDR requires companies to collect information about certain raw material products that are deforestation free and have been produced in accordance

Quiz Answers:

1. Yes, all packaging should be rinsed clean and ideally dry, before going in the recycled bin. Don’t throw the takeaway meal trays in without rinsing!

2. No, it should go in the black bin for incineration, as EPS is bulky, hard to handle and recycle with very little benefit.

3. No. It is better for shredded paper to go in the black bin for recovery (incineration), as it is too small to recycle and it’s messy.

4. No, all items should be loose and therefore easier to separate and recognise.

5. No, the recycle bin is only for packaging of all types, not footballs, roller-skates, flower pots etc. How did you do? Sorry no prize… just the glory.

with the laws in the production country. This information must be kept for at least five years. The goal is clearly to stop illegal deforestation and ensure that EU companies are not adding to the problem. It applies to importing to the EU, domestically within the EU and exporting from the EU. In terms of packaging, the focus will be on wood and paper derived products. However, the EUDR covers seven commodities (i.e. cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, and wood), as well as many derived products, such as paperboard, meat products, leather, chocolate, coffee etc.

The key part to understand is that it affects the raw material input side of your products. With packaging, for example, logs for pulp, converting to paperboard, shelfready packaging or outer box products would all be in scope and would need to have verifiable evidence of their source, in the form of Due Diligence Statements (DDS). The loggers, pulp and paperboard manufacturers will need to produce DDS certs, which can be referred to by the purchaser of the packaging. This is all on the goods-in, raw material side of the business, not the finished product side. So a company buying cartons, for example, will need to know the source of the pulp and have details / records of the DDS cert. There are systems available to help manage this process, by companies such as IOV42 and Optel Group.

For large and medium-sized enterprises, the EUDR will come into effect on December 30, 2025. However, a six-month transitional

About the author:

DAVID Little is Chair of The Irish Packaging Society, and Managing Director of Leonard Little & Associates Ltd (Est. 1976) - Packaging Consultancy and Training. David has over 35 years’ experience in the packaging industry, across all sectors and is a qualified Print and Packaging Technologist and Lecturer in Packaging in Ireland, the UK and the EU. He is a member of the IOM3 Packaging Group Leadership Team (UK), and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3). David is a Board Member of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), representing The Irish Packaging Society, and is a World Star Packaging Awards Judge.

period (until June 30, 2026) is being introduced, to allow businesses to adapt to the new requirements. Small and microenterprises have an additional six months to comply with their new obligations.

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR)

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations are a big impactor for our sector. In certain product categories it will lead to significant packaging change (see https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/40/ oj/eng).

The previous Directive has now come into force across the EU as a regulation, with the full text available since early February. The regulation introduces recyclability grades that create standards and guarantees that packaging is both recyclable and made of high-quality materials that can be efficiently processed and reused. The goal is to create a circular approach, where packaging contributes minimally to the creation of waste, leverages circularity to the maximum, and minimises the need for virgin materials.

One of the key elements of the PPWR is its emphasis on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which puts more responsibility onto producers for managing their packaging throughout its entire lifecycle. The idea is that by making producers more accountable for the waste

their packaging generates, they will be more focused on developing sustainable solutions. See the link below for a useful summary from Repak and the link above for the full regulations (https://repak. ie/images/uploads/downloads/25037_ Members_Packaing___Waste_ Guide_2025_v4.pdf).

Leading the way forward

As you can see, there is a lot to get your head around, with potentially significant impacts on your business. In my mind, it’s always best to quickly get familiar with the legislation, see the areas affected and make a plan. Leading the way creates opportunity, shows leadership and as a brand it will demonstrate your seriousness in sustainability and Environmental & Social Governance (ESG).

According to ERM Shelton Global Eco Pulse research, 71% say their opinion of a company would improve if it’s known the company is a leader in reducing its Green House Gas (GMG) emissions. 89% agree that recycling is the bare minimum we should do for the environment and 86% feel responsible to change their daily choices, to positively impact the environment. The younger generation are more environmentally and socially aware and also much more tech savvy, so you do need to be congruent and honest with your messaging and actions.

How much do most of us really understand about sorting our packaging waste?

Circle K unveil dedicated EV charging hubs

CIRCLE K have officially opened their first dedicated Electric Vehicle (EV) Hubs at Clonshaugh, and City Avenue in Dublin. Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien TD joined Circle K Ireland Managing Director Ciara Foxton to unveil the EV charging hub at Circle K Clonshaugh.

The Clonshaugh hub features five super-fast chargers and 10 bays, while City Avenue offers four super-fast chargers and eight bays. The super-fast EV chargers will be among the fastest available in Ireland, delivering up to 400kW each.

The official opening of the two new hubs is part of Circle K’s ambition to develop the largest high-powered EV charging network in Ireland, ensuring both high-speed charging along major motorways and national routes, and excellent local coverage across the country.

The unveiling of the two new hubs adds to Circle K’s overall investment of over €15 million in EV charging infrastructure in recent years, with EV charging points available at 41 locations with a total of 134 charge points available to customers across the Circle K network in Ireland.

“Fast, reliable access to charging makes the transition to electric vehicles even more practical and convenient,” noted Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment. “The Government is also investing significantly in the national EV charging network right across the country, to ensure that drivers can charge easily and confidently where needed. Together, these efforts build the infrastructure we need to support the growing number of electric vehicles on our roads. Achieving our climate action plan targets will only be possible if drivers know they can charge conveniently and reliably.

Today’s launch represents another important step in giving people that confidence, and is an example of how industry is working alongside Government to build a sustainable and cleaner transport system.”

Ciara Foxton, Managing Director of Circle K Ireland, said, “At Circle K, everything we do is designed to make it easier for our customers and for several years now we have invested significantly in our EV charging infrastructure to make the transition to electric vehicles as seamless as possible by providing, fast, reliable, convenient and safe access to charging.”

Pictured are (l-r): Karina Zujewska, Senior Engineer, Real Estate Operations; Jonathan Diver, Senior Director Fuel, Circle K Ireland; Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment; Ciara Foxton, Managing Director, Circle K Ireland; and Sarah Bradshaw, Senior Manager, E-Mobility & EV Products.

Maxol call on Homegrown champions

AFTER two successful years celebrating Ireland’s most exciting food and drink producers, Maxol have announced the return of

Pictured are (back row, l-r): Paul Friel & Bob Coggins (The White Hag), Paul Lawless (Foods of Athenry), Daniel Gleeson & Harrison Altman (Parachute), Ross McDowell (All Real), Anna O’Connor (Blanco Niño); and (front row, l-r): Giselle Makinde (Fiid), Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group; Denise Foley (All Real), and Emma Keating (Blanco Niño).

their Homegrown at Maxol programme. The competition offers small and medium-sized Irish producers the opportunity to expand their business and see their products stocked across Maxol-owned stores in 2026. Now entering its third year, Homegrown at Maxol has become a leading platform for nurturing local enterprise, and the programme not only offers free distribution, but also mentorship, marketing support, and nationwide visibility, to help producers grow and scale sustainably.

“As we launch the 2025 programme, we’re continuing our commitment to supporting local producers who have the ambition to grow,” noted Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group. “Homegrown at Maxol isn’t just about shelf space; it’s about giving producers access to our large convenience retail network, as well as mentorship and marketing visibility to support winners as they take their business to the next level.”

The programme is open to every Irish food and drink business ready to take the next step and applications are open now at www.maxol.ie/homegrown

Nikki Maguire, Head of Marketing at The Maxol Group, added: “The Homegrown at Maxol programme continues to go from strength to strength. It gives emerging Irish producers an invaluable platform to reach new audiences, while benefitting from marketing expertise and national visibility. We’re proud to play a part in helping local businesses realise their potential and build brands that resonate with today’s consumers.”

Forecourt Focus: News

Maxol announce strong trading performance for 2024

THE Maxol Group have announced their full year trading figures for 2024. Group CEO, Brian Donaldson confirmed a strong performance following an investment programme of €70.5 million during the 2023-2024 trading period, bolstered by an additional €47.5 million in capital expenditure during 2025. The Group finished the year in a strong financial position, with no net bank debt and a substantial cash surplus.

2024 Group turnover was €786 million, an increase of 4% on 2023 (€756 million). 2024 Group profit before tax, before exceptionals was €33.3 million (€31.2 million in 2023).

According to Brian Donaldson, 2024 and 2025 have been defined by strategic investments, key acquisitions, and smart innovations, as the company expanded its offering with new sites, products and services.

Maxol also announced the launch of a new, freshly prepared meal delivery service, designed to support the growing evening economy. The latest tech-driven innovation will initially be trialled at three Maxol locations, Donabate, Ardbrae, and Longmile Road. Using a leading delivery aggregator to fulfil orders, Maxol have signed an exclusive 18-month deal with restaurant platform, Noahs, to digitise meal solutions that can be ordered online, alongside some of the forecourt convenience retailer’s most popular convenience grocery lines.

Brian Donaldson said that the new service “takes our offering to a whole new level and potentially, to a whole new set of customers.” This move underscores Maxol’s transformation into a leading convenience food retailer, with non-fuel sales accounting for around 40% of the company’s gross profit.

Backed by an ambitious growth strategy, The Maxol Group have made 14 site acquisitions during the 2023-2025 period, redeveloped or retrofitted 27 existing sites and are rolling out a further four store-within-a-store concepts with Dunnes Stores, following a successful pilot trial that saw the introduction of the Dunnes Stores Simply Better premium convenience range at Maxol Templeogue.

Brian Donaldson confirmed that he was looking ahead to 2026 with confidence amid further plans for growth as part of The Maxol

Brian Donaldson, Maxol CEO, breaking ground at Maxol Long Mile Road, where Maxol recently began a € 4.74 million redevelopment programme, their largest single redevelopment in more than five years.

Group’s five year, €193 million investment strategy (2023-2027), with a particular focus on food, retail convenience and car wash services. “We will continue to innovate with new and expanded food concepts, redeveloped modern sites and digitised services to create market-leading service stations,” said Brian Donaldson. “Notwithstanding our position as a modern, dynamic, technology and data-led business, our values as a family owned business will continue to guide our decision-making, and we will focus on servicing local communities and working with local people who understand local dynamics.”

Certa expand operations to supply home heating biofuel

Certa’s new biofuel, EcoMax, enables households who currently use liquid fuel boilers to lower their home heating carbon emissions by up to 20%.

FUEL supplier Certa, part of DCC plc, are expanding their operations to make a new lower carbon home heating biofuel, which can be used as a cleaner alternative to regular home heating oil, available to 100,000 households across counties Dublin, Kildare and Louth. The expansion of Certa’s supply and delivery service follows exceptional demand for the new biofuel, known as EcoMax, which enables households who currently use liquid fuel boilers to lower their home heating carbon emissions by up to 20%. EcoMax comprises a blend of 20% HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a fossil-free fuel made from waste plant matter, and 80% kerosene.

“Certa are especially proud to be the first fuel supplier in Ireland to give Irish householders the choice of switching to a new lowercarbon fuel for their home heating and to empower them to make positive and impactful environmental changes in their own homes with zero disruption to the household,” said Orla Stevens, Managing Director, Certa Ireland.

Don’t let fraud steal your Christmas cheer

Brian Kinsella, Fraud Risk Manager at Elavon Europe, reminds retailers that fraudsters thrive on distraction and goodwill. The best defence is awareness, preparation and secure payment practices.

THE weeks leading up to Christmas are a golden opportunity for Irish grocery retailers. Footfall increases, shelves are stocked with festive favourites, and tills are ringing with seasonal sales.

But while shoppers are busy preparing for celebrations, fraudsters are equally active, looking for ways to exploit the rush and distract staff. The festive season, often referred to as the Golden Quarter, is not just a time of increased revenue - it’s also a period of heightened risk.

Shopping-related scams have surged by 200% this year (Source: The Journal –Shopping scams up 200% as fraud offences surge), with deception and forgery offences also rising sharply (Source: Agriland –Gardaí: 57% increase in bogus tradesman reports in H1 2025). Grocery retailers are particularly vulnerable, with the combination of high demand, busy staff and increased promotional activity creating the perfect storm for opportunistic criminals.

Common Christmas scams

One of the most frequent scams during this time of year is the distraction refund.

It typically unfolds at the till, where a fraudster initiates a card payment, then interrupts the cashier mid-transaction. While the staff member is distracted –perhaps by a question or a request to check a product – the fraudster cancels the sale and issues themselves a refund.

In the midst of a busy store, this can go unnoticed until it’s too late. Staff should be trained to stay focused during transactions, especially when handling refunds. It’s essential to check the final receipt before handing it to the customer and to contact your payment services provider immediately if a suspicious refund appears. Another seasonal scam involves emotional manipulation and phone fraud. Fraudsters may call your store claiming to need a large order of meat, alcohol or party food at short notice. They’ll often spin a story about a charity event or a family gathering, hoping to appeal to your goodwill.

They’ll offer card details over the phone and may even arrange their own courier to collect the goods. Once the items are gone, the real cardholder disputes the cost and

raises a chargeback, leaving you to cover the cost and the chargeback fee.

What to watch for

There are several warning signs to keep in mind. Be cautious of large orders from unknown customers, especially if they’re

Brian Kinsella, Fraud Risk Manager at Elavon Europe.

requesting urgent collection or delivery. If the buyer seems indifferent to price or product specifics, or if they offer multiple cards after a transaction is declined, it’s worth taking a closer look. These behaviours often indicate fraudulent intent.

While toy shops and electronics stores are frequent targets, Irish grocery retailers are increasingly in the crosshairs – butchers and supermarkets face a spike in fraud attempts in December.

Fraudsters often claim they’ve been let down by a supplier and need a large order of meat or alcohol for a party. They rely on the seasonal rush and your willingness to help to get what they want. With alcohol sales surging by €79 million last December (Source: Kantar) and promotional spending up €145 million compared to two years ago, scammers know exactly where to strike.

To protect your store, consider three simple steps.

• First, sense-check the order. Does it make sense that someone would need 20 turkeys or 15 bottles of whiskey at short notice? If it feels off, it probably is.

• Second, avoid phone payments wherever possible. Encourage customers to pay in-store using chip and PIN, as it’s much harder to scam face-to-face.

• Third, if you must take remote payments, use secure methods like a ‘pay by link’ option. It adds a layer of protection and helps verify the transaction.

About the author:

BRIAN Kinsella is the Fraud Risk Manager at Elavon Europe. Elavon is the preferred payments partner for Retail Excellence Ireland and its 2,000-strong membership base. To learn more about protecting your payments system, email Brian.Kinsella@elavon.com, visit www.elavon.ie or scan the QR code below:

Retail Fraud

Your Christmas fraud checklist IT’S always worth bearing in mind this quick fraud checklist at Christmas: New customer placing a large festive order?

• Urgent request for meat, alcohol or party food? Wants to pay over the phone or send a courier?

• Doesn’t care about price or product details?

• Multiple card attempts after declines?

If you tick more than one box, investigate further before processing the order.

Strengthening your set-up

There are several ways to strengthen your in-store payments set-up. Chip and PIN remains the most secure method for card-present transactions, but additional measures can help – such as reviewing your terminal settings in-store.

Ensure that refund permissions are restricted to trusted staff and that receipts are printed and reviewed for every transaction. If your store uses integrated point-of-sale systems, check that software updates are applied regularly and that fraud detection features are enabled. These small steps can make a big difference in preventing losses.

If you also sell online, enabling realtime transaction alerts can flag suspicious activity quickly. You can also set up velocity checks to monitor how many transactions are processed in a short time frame, which can help detect card testing or refund abuse.

Physical security is just as important as payment security, especially during busy periods.

• Make sure cash registers are locked when not in use and that cash is stored securely and banked regularly. Limit the amount of cash kept on the premises and use drop safes if possible.

• Consider installing CCTV to monitor entrances, exits and till areas, and ensure that all security equipment is working properly.

• Be alert to suspicious behaviour, such as groups attempting to distract staff or individuals loitering near tills.

• Counterfeit notes and shoplifting attempts also tend to increase at Christmas, so remind staff to check notes carefully and report anything unusual.

Staff training is a key defence against fraud and theft. Hold a pre-Christmas briefing for all staff, including seasonal temps, to review the latest scams and security procedures. Make sure everyone

knows how to escalate concerns and who to contact if they suspect fraud.

Encourage staff to challenge unusual requests politely and to work together to keep an eye on each other and the store. A well-trained, confident team is much less likely to fall victim to distraction or manipulation.

Managing chargebacks and disputes Chargebacks are another area where preparation pays off. They can be costly and time-consuming, especially if you’re not ready to respond.

Make sure you keep detailed records of all transactions, including receipts, customer communications and delivery or collection details. If a dispute arises, having this documentation ready can help you respond quickly and effectively.

Christmas should be a time of celebration, not frustration. By staying vigilant and preparing your team, you can protect your store from fraud and focus on serving your customers. In summary, here are the practical payment tips to help you stay secure this Christmas:

• Use chip and PIN for all in-store transactions;

• Restrict refund permissions to trusted staff only;

• Keep detailed records to support chargeback disputes;

• Review and update terminal software regularly;

• Offer currency conversion only when appropriate and clearly explained; Train staff to recognise and respond to suspicious behaviour; Remind staff to stay alert for physical security risks and to report suspicious behaviour immediately.

Rewarding marketing excellence

The ECR Conference and Awards 2025 highlighted some of the most innovative and effective FMCG consumer marketing campaigns of the year.

THE ECR Conference and Awards 2025, sponsored by Elevate, took place on October 8 in O’Reilly Hall in UCD. It was the 15th such Conference and it had the most attendees of any so far. It was a day of celebration as well as a platform for companies to share knowledge, exchange experience and recognise outstanding work that is driving the industry forward in Ireland.

ECR Category Growth Award

Nominated in the ECR Category Growth Award, Unilever’s ‘Ranch it with Hellmann’s’ flavour-led category growth saw Hellmann’s drive growth in the category through the introduction of Ranch flavours

to deliver new choice and excitement to a sector which enjoys high penetration but has become something of a routine and generally unexciting purchase for shoppers.

The campaign sought to introduce a variety of new flavour options to drive excitement and interest in the category and looked to generate new occasion uses in the minds of customers to further drive sales of both new sauces and also traditionally popular sauces.

The project delivered very impressive results, with total table sauce category recording 7% growth during the project, led by 18% growth in flavoured table sauces and Hellmann’s creamy ranch claiming the number one spot for new product in the table sauce category. The top tip was to ensure to engage and excite your sales team, as they are the people on the ground that will implement your plan at the crucial point of purchase.

Also nominated was McCain Foods ‘Transforming the Nation’s Snacking Habits’ campaign. Frozen foods are a wellestablished, high penetration category, and McCain’s chose to introduce vibes to the aisle in order to generate excitement and deliver sales growth. They concentrated on adding younger shoppers to the category

by focusing on making frozen foods an attractive option for social and shared occasions.

Over the six months of the project, it created 20% incremental growth to the category by attracting new shoppers into the frozen food aisle who would traditionally have shopped for crisps, nuts or similar choices to nibble at social occasions. Their top tip from this project was to start with the consumer and understand their needs and be bold and brash in your efforts to grab their attention the change their habits.

The winners in this category were Britvic Ireland and Tesco for ‘Transforming Tesco Water’. 74% of shoppers buy bottled water, with 80% of those shoppers planning to purchase it before going to the shop. However, it is not perceived to be a very exciting purchase, as it is quite functional. By redeveloping the look of the aisle, this campaign was able to inject significant growth in terms of value and volume to sales in Tesco shops and significantly improved the shopping experience for Tesco customers. 54% of shoppers had a net favourable experience of shopping for water in Tesco, and 88% had a net favourable opinion of the layout.

The project saw extremely close

cooperation between retailer and brand and the Top Tip was “Trust: it is critical that all parties involved trust each other’s intentions and expertise to drive value for all involved”.

ECR Digital Retail Award

In the Digital Retail category, Henkel and Elevate were nominated for their ‘Washed with Dylon’ campaign. The project saw a partnership with SuperValu that involved brand ambassadors and viral content driving awareness and interest in Dylon and also a strong gamification element that invited consumers to engage with the brand through a spin-and-win micro-site, supported by significant email marketing to encourage participation.

The campaign delivered impressive results, with over 15K visits to the microsite and over 10K engagements with the spin-and-win game. With almost 7% click-through on social media posts, the campaign was able to drive awareness and interest in the brand and the top tip from this campaign was to create relevant themes that turn a fun distraction into a powerful engagement tool.

Elevate and Pukka Tea were also nominated for ‘Catch the Calm with Pukka Tea’, which again saw gamification used as a tool to drive awareness and interest in the brand, as well as promotion on the SuperValu app to drive click-through to the game micro-site and maximise engagement with the brand online.

Not only did the project deliver impressive results in terms of online activity but it helped the brand achieve 36% YOY sales growth with a 60% YOY unit sales uplift, showing the power of leveraging digital activity to drive real world sales. The top tip from the campaign was to not just digitalise your brand but humanise it in

ECR Ireland Conference and Awards

the digital space to drive sales.

The winners in this category were Vista Foods and Goosebump for ‘Chicken With Attitude’. The objective for this project was to position Chicken with Attitude as

the number one frozen chicken brand.

The success of this project clearly demonstrates the power of digital media, as the campaign only used social media to drive awareness and sales, making a limited budget go as far as possible by creating interesting and engaging content, primarily on TikTok.

The project saw high levels of engagement, with the comments section being used as a tool for the brand to directly interact with consumers and challenge them. This project was not supported by any other media activity than social media and delivered extremely impressive results.

Over the course of the project, Chicken with Attitude was elevated to become the top selling poultry project in grocery, an increase of +500K Chicken with Attitude products sold over 2024 levels and a 23% increase in sales within the category, hugely impressive results for a media project that used only one channel and very

Declan Carolan, General Manager, ECR Ireland.

The ECR Ireland Awards recognise and reward the teams behind the outstanding consumer marketing campaigns of the year.

Abigail Kuyebi (centre), Birds Eye UK & Ireland, accepts the ECR Shopper Marketing Award from Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland, and Sinead Brennan, Goosebump.

ECR Ireland Conference and Awards

clearly showing the power of social media as a sales tool. The top tip from this project was to find the right strategy and tool and to “Keep it simple”.

ECR Sustainability Award

The Sustainability category saw the collaboration between Elevate and vegan food brand Strong Roots nominated, which promoted the company’s B Corporation certification. Strong Roots worked closely with Elevate and SuperValu to promote their B. Corp. status on both a micro-site and on the main SuperValu website and helped raise awareness of the B. Corp. identity during the month-long promotion, which has helped other brands move towards improving their sustainability. Their top tip from the project was sustainability cannot be achieved alone; working with a partner helps the journey to be quicker and easier.

The winners of the Sustainability Award were Golden Bake for their efforts to reduce packaging material. By removing a plastic tray from their packaging, Golden Bake entirely eliminated plastic packaging from their retail products, reducing weight by 50% in some ranges and improving pallet efficiency by 48% on their biggest selling retail products.

All of this resulted in an over 50% reduction in the carbon footprint of certain products, which equates to a reduction of 57 tonnes of CO2 annually. Their decision

to remove a single part of their packaging solution resulted in significant savings for the brand, as well as for the environment, and significantly improved consumers’ opinion of the brand, as they clearly communicated the changes they had made and how they benefitted the environment. The top tip from this project was to clearly communicate the benefits of any changes made to your customers to maximise the return.

ECR Shopper Marketing Award Heineken and Tesco were nominated for the ECR Shopper Marketing Award for their collaboration on ‘Driving shopper penetration and occasion usage of Heineken 0.0%’. In order to drive penetration of noalcohol options, Tesco and Heineken sought to get shoppers to consider the options available on more shopping missions. Aware that over 70% of shoppers can be influenced by messaging at a variety of

touchpoints, they used a strong mix of pre-store, in-store and at-shelf messages to drive consideration, especially in conjunction with frozen food purchases, where they had identified a strong potential for growth.

The results were extremely impressive, with Heineken 0.0% responsible for 45% of category growth in Tesco stores and it grew its total market share by +3% over the course of the project. Shoppers choosing the Heineken 0.0% increased spend by +24% and units by +29% and the tactic of partnering with frozen food saw Tesco Finest Pizzas enjoy a 60% increase in sales value, delivering value to all partners in this project. Their top tip: identify opportunities and work as partners to deliver shared value.

Tirlán were nominated for their ‘Avonmore Cream – The Cream that Makes’ campaign. The challenge that Tirlán faced was to protect single cream sales, while

Christine Farrell, Head of Retail Sales, Vista Foods, and Jade Mc Clafferty, Head of Social, Goosebump, accept the ECR Digital Retail Award from Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland, and Eoghan Phelan, ReAction.

Ian Mahon, Head of Category Management & Shopper Marketing, Britvic Ireland, accepts the ECR Category Growth Award from Caroline Reid, Shopper Intelligence, and Declan Carolan (left).

Robin Jones, CEO, Golden Bake, accepts the Sustainability Award from Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland, and Claire Dunne, Worldpanel by Numerator.

recruiting more consumers into their valueadded range, which wasn’t keeping pace with market growth. With scratch cooking on the rise, Tirlán sought to deliver a yearround solution targeting Christmas, Easter and summer to drive consideration of usage of value-added products in addition to traditional single cream.

The project utilised very strong in-store activation techniques to drive consideration and consumption and it proved extremely effective. The strategy delivered consistent sales growth through 2023 and 2024 of roughly 4% for each quarter during the promotion. This was not just due to price increases, as sales volume increased by +2% year-on-year. The top tip from Tirlán was ‘never underestimate the last three feet’.

Green Isle Foods were nominated for the Donegal Catch ‘Reeling Shoppers In’ campaign, ran with Tesco. For an island nation, Ireland under-indexes on fish consumption and the strategy in this project was to use a visually engaging and motivating campaign to position Donegal Catch as the choice for dinner. Creating a bespoke in-store element designed to disrupt the shoppers’ journey resulted in the eye-catching Donegal Catch Fish ‘n’ Chips display, which presented shoppers with an entire dinner solution for their consideration.

The campaign contributed to 9% category growth in Tesco stores, with a massive +27% brand growth in Tesco stores as well as a 16% category growth for frozen chip sales in Tesco stores and a massive 97% increase in brand sales for frozen chips through Tesco shops. The top tip for this project was: dive into shopper data and tackle what matters so your campaign makes a splash.

Diageo were also nominated in this category for ‘Reigniting Smirnoff Ice’. This

ECR Ireland Conference and Awards

campaign saw Diageo look to retake the number one position in its category. It involved a full relaunch of Smirnoff Ice, creating a fresh look for the product, as well as 1,200 in-store activations with a buy-to-consume focus to drive both consideration and impulse purchases.

The campaign saw Smirnoff Ice return to its position as the number one brand in the category, fully realising the objective of the campaign with a stunning +89% growth for the brand, a huge success for everyone involved. Their top tip: never be afraid to reposition, refocus, or relaunch to reclaim success.

The winners of the ECR Shopper Marketing Award were Birds Eye for their ‘Always Open Birds Eye Chicken Shop Launch’. The rise of the at home ‘fakeaway’ has created a huge opportunity for poultry brands and Birds Eye were determined to take advantage of this. With over 40% of Irish consumers admitting to going out to eat less than they used to, they are looking to create more of an experience when eating at home and the range of Birds Eye Chicken Shop products was tailor-made to fill that need.

With a highly visible campaign supported

by TV and VOD ads, as well as social advertising and digital OOH ads, digi placements and ambassador partnerships, Birds Eye were able to drive awareness and consideration and in partnership with SuperValu and Tesco, they delivered exciting in-store experiences and trials that drove an extremely impressive new product launch.

The results were truly award winning, with over 11K customers purchasing the new offering, with an average spend of just shy of €9 and a repeat purchase rate of almost 25% in the first 23 weeks of the product launch. With a stunning 45% of customers being entirely new to the subcategory, this was an incredibly impressive result for a new product. Their top tip was: collaboration is key.

Conclusion

The 15th ECR Conference and Awards were the biggest and probably the best yet, with an extremely high calibre of nominees. This was a fantastic event, showcasing the best in Irish creativity in the FMCG sector and in project implementation and execution in general. Next year, will have to do very well to improve on the 2025 awards.

The Britvic Ireland team celebrate winning the ECR Category Growth Award.

Seamus McElligott, Elevate, addressing the ECR Ireland Conference.

The team from Birds Eye Ireland celebrate winning the ECR Shopper Marketing Award.

Navigating fixed-term employment contracts: legal insights for employers

Síobhra Rush, Head of Lewis Silkin Dublin, and Emma Quinn, Senior Associate, review and update us on the use of fixed-term employment contracts and a retailer’s legal obligations in relation to their fixed-term employees.

FIXED-TERM employment contracts are a common feature in the retail sector, particularly during seasonal peaks, promotional campaigns, or when covering long-term absences. While these contracts offer flexibility, they also carry certain legal obligations.

Understanding the legal framework

The legislation governing fixed-term contracts (FTCs) in Ireland is the

Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 (the 2003 Act). This Act ensures that fixed-term employees are not treated less favourably than permanent employees unless that treatment is objectively justified. It also restricts the use of successive (or rolling) FTCs. Retail employers often rely on these contracts for temporary roles, such as holiday staff or project-based merchandising roles. However, the law requires careful

justification and structuring of these agreements.

Limits on FTC renewals

One of the most critical aspects for employers is the limitation on renewing FTCs. Where an employer renews an FTC, they must provide a statement setting out the objective reasons why the contract is being renewed, and a permanent role is not being offered. Furthermore, if an employee

Employment Law

The Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 ensures that fixed-term employees are not treated less favourably than permanent employees unless that treatment is objectively justified.

is employed on two or more continuous FTCs which exceed four years, then the latest contract shall be deemed to be a contract of indefinite duration, unless the employer can objectively justify the use of continued FTCs. This rule is particularly relevant in retail environments where temporary roles may evolve into long-term needs. Employers must monitor contract durations and renewal patterns to avoid inadvertently creating permanent employment relationships.

Can fixed-term employees and permanent employees be treated differently?

Employers must ensure that fixed-term employees receive comparable terms to permanent staff. Any difference of treatment of fixed-term employees must be objectively justified and not based on the status of an employee as a fixed-term employee. The reason behind the less favourable treatment must be for the purpose of achieving a legitimate objective of the employer and such treatment must be necessary for that purpose.

There is an exception to the right not to be treated in a less favourable manner than a comparable permanent employee. If an

employee on an FTC works less than 20% of the normal hours of the comparable permanent employee, then the employer is entitled to treat them less favourably in regard to any pension scheme or arrangement.

Important clauses to include in an FTC To mitigate legal risk, retail employers should include the following clauses in FTCs:

• Probationary periods: These must be proportionate to the contract’s duration and nature of work. Renewed contracts for the same role cannot include a new probationary period. Notice periods: Employers can and should include a notice provision in the FTC, allowing the employer to terminate the contract early, and with notice, even before the expiration of the fixed term.

• Unfair dismissals exclusion: Contracts should explicitly state that dismissal by reason of expiry of the fixed term does not constitute unfair dismissal. This clause must be in writing, and the contract must be signed by both parties for that provision to be valid.

Can a fixed-term employee take a claim for unfair dismissal?

As outlined above, employers may exclude the application of the Unfair Dismissals Acts to a dismissal which arises by reason of expiry of the term, provided the following conditions are strictly met:

• The contract must be in writing and clearly specify either the duration of the fixed term or, in the case of a specified-purpose contract, the objective to be achieved; It must be signed by both the employer and the employee; It must include an express clause stating that the expiry of the contract shall not constitute grounds for a claim under the Unfair Dismissals Acts.

However, employers should be aware that the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) can disregard such exclusions where there is evidence suggesting that the termination was due to reasons other than the natural expiry of the fixed term, such as performance concerns or disciplinary matters. Furthermore, exclusion of the Unfair Dismissal Acts in renewed contracts is unlikely to be valid.

Employment Law

If an employee is employed on two or more continuous FTCs which exceed four years, then the latest contract shall be deemed to be a contract of indefinite duration, unless the employer can objectively justify the use of continued FTCs.

What happens if an FTC expires during maternity leave?

An FTC can expire during maternity leave, but employers must not terminate or refuse renewal due to the leave itself. Doing so would constitute discrimination under employment equality legislation.

Are fixed-term employees entitled to redundancy payments?

Where a fixed-term employee has at least 104 weeks service, and the circumstances

of the non-renewal of their contract meets the definition of redundancy, then the employee is entitled to a statutory redundancy payment, and possibly to an enhanced ex gratia payment if such payments are the norm for comparable permanent employees.

Avoiding legal pitfalls

Retailers must be cautious when structuring and renewing an FTC. Failure to comply with the 2003 Act can result in

About the author:

FOR further information on these topics, please contact Síobhra Rush, Head of Lewis Silkin Dublin, or Emma Quinn, Senior Associate, Lewis Silkin. This article is for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice should be sought in any given set of circumstances.

complaints to the WRC, which may order reinstatement, compensation (up to two years’ remuneration), or conversion to a contract of indefinite duration.

Employers should take the following steps to ensure compliance and transparency in contract management:

• Maintain comprehensive records of contract durations and renewal dates;

• Provide clear, written justification for each contract renewal and ensure that renewals are done in advance of expiry of the prior contract;

• Ensure all contracts are properly signed and include all legally required clauses and provisions.

Conclusion

FTCs are a valuable tool for retailers, offering flexibility in a dynamic industry. However, they must be used in compliance with employment law. By understanding the legal framework and implementing best practices, retailers can manage their workforce effectively, while minimising legal exposure.

What’s New

A BERRY DELICIOUS WAY TO START YOUR DAY

NESTLÉ Cereals are shaking up the cereal aisle with a berry-tasting twist on a family favourite. New Very Berry Cheerios are the delicious new addition to the Cheerios family. These crunchy little Os are made from a tasty combination of oats, wheat and barley, blended with real berry puree for a fruity flavour the whole family will love. They are high in fibre from oats, wheat and barley, a source of seven vitamins, plus calcium and iron, and contain no artificial colours or flavours. “We wanted to bring something fresh and fun to breakfast, something that creates a cheerful start to the day with a taste the whole family loves and nutrition parents feel good about,” said Jennifer Walsh, Country Manager, Nestlé Cereals.

DON CARLOS TRIPLE ACTION VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SPRAY

DON Carlos have unveiled their brand-new Extra Virgin Olive Oil Triple Action Spray, which is about to become the ultimate multi-use kitchen essential. The new bottle is designed to be multi-functional and versatile as it lets users spray, drizzle, or pour with ease, making it ideal for everything from drizzling on salads to spraying airfryer meat or vegetables or pouring on a pan for frying. Whether you’re hosting or preparing quick everyday meals for lunch or dinner, this brand new bottle suits every meal, no matter what you have on the menu. Don Carlos Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray is propellant-free, made with 100% pure olive oil and contains no artificial colours, flavours, or additives.

ALWAYS DISCREET ENCOURAGES CONVERSATION AND CONNECTION FOR MENOPAUSE AWARENESS MONTH

TALKING about bladder leaks can help women feel more positive about their experience, yet new research from Always Discreet has revealed one in three Irish women experiencing bladder leaks have never talked about it with friends or family. That’s why Always Discreet and Triona McCarthy are on a mission to help Irish women live life to the fullest, by opening up the conversation around bladder leaks for Menopause Awareness Month. “Talking about my experience with my friends and family has really helped, because I’ve learned that bladder leaks can be so common during menopause. That’s why I’ve joined Always Discreet’s mission to break these taboos and start the conversation,” said Triona.

CARAMICO LAUNCH NEW SWEET AND SAVOURY SIDES

CARAMICO, the much-loved Italian-inspired pizza company, are expanding their range to include a brandnew collection of sweet and savoury sides, designed to make every pizza night even more indulgent. The new sides collection includes something for every craving, which include: Doughlicious Garlic Balls, Spudtacular Spiced Fries, Cheesy Garlic Pizza Bread, Soft & Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Double Choc Brownie Bake, and the Dippin Duo - Garlic & Herb and Tangy BBQ Sauces. Caramico’s new sides range is available at Centra and SuperValu stores nationwide.

KITCHEN JOY’S AUTHENTIC THAI FAKEAWAY MEALS

FOLLOWING a successful UK debut earlier this year, Kitchen Joy, the frozen South East Asian ready meal brand redefining the fakeaway, recently launched in Ireland. The range is available across 139 Tesco stores nationwide, including Tesco Express and Metro outlets, with a particularly strong presence in Dublin, marking a key step in Kitchen Joy’s retail growth strategy in Ireland. Made in Thailand with traditional ingredients, fresh herbs, and spices, each Kitchen Joy meal delivers bold, restaurant-quality flavours in just seven minutes. The range includes authentic Thai curries, noodles, and modern fusion dishes, meeting the needs of Irish consumers seeking convenient, premium, and flavour-packed “fakeaway” options at home.

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