In a statement to members on 28 January, the NOffLA chairman questioned the independence of the RRAI (Responsible Retailing of Alcohol in Ireland), explaining that he was “not surprised by the conclusions of the so called ‘independent’ chairperson of the RRAI.
“With all due respect to Mr White, he has been chosen by Retail Ireland and is in the payment of the same body so we should not be surprised that he feels that 32 non-compliant shops out of 333 stores (10%) over a period of nine months represents a ‘highly satisfactory and impressive’ result for the voluntary code of practice. Indeed Dunnes Stores only signed up in September of last year, when the report was due to be completed and only yesterday there was a double aisle of wines with a gondola end in Dunnes, Cornelscourt sitting in the middle of the non-alcohol products. more >