Top stories in the papers this week 14 – 20 January 2011
€8 million expected for Aldi store; More shoppers turn to German discounters for Christmas; Debt casts doubt over future of some of UK's best-known food brands
Print19 January 2012
1. €8 million expected for Aldi store
The newly-leased Aldi foodstore at Sandyford, Dublin 18, is to be the first distressed Irish property investment to be offered for sale this year on the international market. The Irish Times reports Savills expects to secure €8 million for the Aldi investment. The discounter signed a 25-year lease from last October with a break option in 2029, and it’s possible – though unlikely – that Aldi will decide to buy the property itself.
2. More shoppers turn to German discounters for Christmas
More Irish shoppers turned to Aldi and Lidl for their groceries in the festive run-up, according to new Kantar Worldpanel data. The Irish Independent reports Aldi saw its share of the €14bn Irish grocery market during the vital 12 weeks to Christmas Day rise to 4.5% of the market, while Lidl’s market share surpassed that of Superquinn for the first time, making it Ireland’s fourth biggest grocery retailer during the period.
3. Debt casts doubt over future of some of UK’s best-known food brands
Some of the UK’s oldest food brands are up for sale as the ailing Premier Foods group tries to survive against a mountain of debt. One in 20 of the workforce – 600 jobs in total – are to be axed. The Irish Times reports that despite Premier boasting some of Britain’s best-known brand names, from Angel Delight to Paxo stuffing; their future is uncertain as Premier plans to focus its resources on its eight “power brands” including Ambrosia and Oxo.
4. Tesco executive sold shares before profit warning
Noel "Bob" Robbins, Tesco’s chief UK operating officer, sold over £200,000 of shares in the supermarket a week before the group’s first profit warning in 20 years wiped nearly £5bn off its market value. The Belfast Telegraph reports Tesco defended Robbins, claiming he had done nothing wrong and didn’t have any "price-sensitive information" at the time. The transaction has nevertheless raised eyebrows within the industry.
5. Wrigley’s Believe It Or Not: Trim looks to ban gum!
Following Trim’s recent Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) victory, Councillor Gerry Reilly has put forward the idea that the town’s shopkeepers be asked not sell chewing gum because of it sticking to paths and the expense involved in removing it. The Meath Chronicle reports town clerk Brian Murphy said he would examine the issue "with a view to a by-law in the future," yet unsurprisingly, the paper found retailers were unanimous in their opposition to the proposal.
Also:
Clampdown on fuel laundering will take 20 years: Alex Attwood (Belfast Telegraph)
How people are spending their money is best indicator for future of the economy (Irish Independent)
Glenilen Farm hailed as Irish food export success story (Irish Examiner)
Plans for retail development in Carrick-on-Shannon on hold (Shannonside FM)
Shortall criticises parents who allow children drink at home (Irish Times)
Shift to electronic payment culture: Visa (Irish Examiner)
Sales up for grocers (Evening Herald)
Price a key issue in abuse of alcohol – but culture must also change, insists Minister (Irish Times)
Price cut attempts fail to materialise for beef (Irish Independent)
Shopping around to find out what’s going on in supermarkets (Belfast Telegraph)
Price cuts trigger UK inflation fall (RTE News)
‘15,000 jobs lost’ in drinks industry (LearningIreland.ie)
Maeve Dineen: Secretive supermarket chains have a bright future in store (Irish Independent)
Retailers warned to address potato sector crisis (Offaly Express)
Value for money: Gluten-free bread (Irish Times)
Food producer divisions widen (Irish Examiner)
No half measures in giving up the drink (Irish Independent)
UK lagging behind on fruit and veg (Newsletter)
Easter eggs bonanza for shoppers (Irish Independent)
Shares in British grocers fall as Tesco issues first profit warning in decades (Irish Times)
Smart Consumer: The students have spoken in the great brand face/off (Irish Independent)
Cash-strapped landlord meets retailer in need: see what pops up (Irish Times)
Smart Consumer: I can’t believe it’s not alcohol! (Irish Independent)
Farm aims for £31m turnover as sales double over festive period (Belfast Telegraph)
Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons workers ‘live in poverty’ (Belfast Telegraph)
Related Articles
Divilly Brothers launch Ireland’s first No Added Nitrite Ham range →
Majority of people prefer to buy from ‘fair’ brands →
Alcohol continues to play a ‘devastating role’ in crashes →
Fans 0
Followers