6|Retail News|April 2011|www.retailnews.ie
News
SuperValu of Controls on Food the Year 2011 Imports from Japan McINERNEY’S SuperValu, located in the heart of Loughrea, Co. Galway, has been named SuperValu of the Year for 2011. The National Award was presented to store owners Ger and Michael McInerney by Martin Kelleher, SuperValu Managing Director, Ciaran Levis, SuperValu Sales Director and Clive Ryan, General Manager, eircom Business, competition sponsors. Over 192 SuperValu stores throughout the Republic of Ireland were adjudicated by independent competition judge, Paul O’Sullivan, Director, Faculty of Business at Dublin Institute of Technology. These audits focused on customer care, store presentation, fresh food offering, product range, operational standards, store hygiene and local community involvement. Commenting on the award, store owner Michael McInerney paid tribute to his team and said that their constant dedication and professional approach was what won the award for the Galway store: “I believe that the greatest asset of any business is the people who work in it and our business is as good as it is today due to the tremendous team in my store. Our dedicated work force all strive towards one goal, which is providing the absolute best value, service and range for our customers.” “McInerney’s SuperValu has superb food credentials and is well known in Loughrea for its fresh meat, its BIM
accredited seafood counter, its extensive bakery, deli and olive bar range and a fresh food selection which is unrivalled in the market,” said Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu. “It is a perfect example of a supermarket that continuously goes that extra mile by supporting their local producers and providing its customers with a product range unmatched by any competitor in the market. This award is a testament to the hard work and absolute commitment of the team at McInerney’s, who always strive to provide their customers with a unique shopping experience.” Speaking at the awards ceremony, Clive Ryan, General Manager, eircom Business, said, “We are delighted to have been part of the SuperValu Store of the Year Awards since 2007. We commend the investment SuperValu has undertaken in its brands and proposition, and the outstanding innovation that the SuperValu retail partners have demonstrated, especially in such challenging times. All of the award winners have demonstrated, excellence in establishing their own success, and a solid foundation for the future of SuperValu and indigenous grocery retailing in Ireland. The result that the McInerney’s have achieved is a stellar example of this. We at eircom are very proud to be associated with, and to continue to support, the success of the SuperValu independent retailer community.”
Clive Ryan, General Manager, Eircom, and Ciaran Levis, SuperValu Sales Director, are pictured presenting the SuperValu of the Year 2011 Award to store owner Michael McInerney and store manager, Clement Connolly, from SuperValu, Loughrea.
THE Food Safety of Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has stated that in line with European Union measures to limit possible risks to food safety, Ireland will be adopting controls on imports of food and feed from certain localities in Japan (Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Miyagi, Yamagata, Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi, Saitama, Tokyo and Chiba), where production could be affected by the incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. According to Professor Alan Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI. Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, EU Member States endorsed a Commission proposal to impose special import conditions. A new regulation will apply to all feedstuffs and foodstuffs originating in or consigned from Japan, with the exclusion of products which have been harvested and/or processed before March 11, 2011. “A range of measures will apply to all feed and food originating in or consigned from 12 localities of Japan, including the four most affected by the accident,” said Professor Reilly. “All products from these localities will have to be tested before leaving Japan and will be subject to random testing in the EU. Feed and food products from the remaining 35 localities will have to be accompanied by a declaration stating the locality of origin and will be randomly tested upon arrival in the EU. Ireland has very few direct imports from Japan and will be aligned with other Member States in relation to our monitoring of these foodstuffs.”
Australia Bans Tobacco Branding THE ever-increasing legislation on cigarettes and tobacco products took a new twist in Australia, recently, as it became the first country to ban logos and branding on packets. The proposed new packaging will be a uniform olive green colour, with brand names in a standard font and size. It will carry no logos, although it will feature graphic images of the damage caused by smoking, such as diseased lungs. Indeed, the packaging was consumer-tested on smokers and the least appealing packaging was chosen. Australia’s tobacco industry is expected to challenge the new laws in court on the grounds that they will deprive tobacco companies of their intellectual property rights, while also making it easier to counterfeit cigarettes. The new law is due to come into effect on January 1 next year.