Top stories in the papers this week 15 – 22 October 2010
Retail sector overtakes construction as problem area for unpaid debt; Dunnes Stores offers cheapest baby products; Is off-trade alcohol too cheap?
Print21 October 2010
1. Retail sector overtakes construction as problem area for unpaid debt
The retail sector has overtaken construction as the highest problem area for unpaid debt in the corporate sector – responsible for €3.9m worth of court judgments in the last quarter. The Irish Examiner reports the total number of court judgements taken against Irish companies for the non-payment of corporate debt has risen by 24% on a year-on-year basis to just under €14 million; according to new figures released by IC Information.
2. Dunnes Stores offers cheapest baby products
A new National Consumer Agency (NCA) survey has found Dunnes Stores is cheapest when stocking up on branded baby products. The Irish Independent reports that across a range of 105 products such as Pampers nappies, wipes, Sudocrem, formula milk, Liga and baby food, the NCA discovered that Dunnes Stores was cheapest, coming in at €520.24, while Tesco was dearest at €546.66; a difference of 5% overall. Furthermore, the price gap between Dunnes and Tesco grew to 10.9% for nappies.
3. Is off-trade alcohol too cheap?
Ireland is one of six EU countries where alcohol has become over 50% more affordable than it was 15 years ago, according to the Rand report commissioned by the European Commission’s Department of Health. The Irish Times examines whether off-trade prices are now too cheap, with CSO figures showing alcohol prices fell by 4.6% in Ireland between July 2009 and July 2010, while average prices fell by only 0.1%. The paper also examines the impact of supermarkets using alcohol as a loss-leader.
4. Business lobby group wants commercial rates slashed
Retail Ireland has called for a 20% cut in commercial rates in 2011. The Clare Herald reports Torlach Denihan has said the group will write to Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny, and Eamon Gilmore, as well as the chairperson of every local authority, city and county managers to request the reduction when the local authorities finalise their annual budgets over the coming weeks. Denihan said that since 2000 the annual rate of valuation has increased by almost 60% nationally, which “is now grossly out of line with economic reality" and that such costs "must be cut to protect from further job losses.”
5. Will the test purchasing of liquor by minors work?
Senior counsel Constance Cassidy examines whether the government’s test purchasing of alcohol scheme will work – given the cumbersome guidelines involved – in the Irish Times. Due to factors such as the youth taking part being obliged to be accompanied by an adult, and not being able to lie about their age, nor produce a false identity card; Cassidy says the "sting" is likely to fail. She therefore asks “whether public funds might not more usefully be channelled towards educating our children to be better informed about alcohol and health issues.”
Also:
UK – Tesco impose new environmental rules for meat suppliers (Meat Trade News)
Retailers must take responsibility for producers (Offaly Express)
Gold awards for Roscommon Londis stores (Roscommon People)
Retail theft ‘adds £180 to average annual shopping bill’ (Belfast Telegraph)
PRM to distribute Innocent drinks throughout Northern Ireland (Belfast Telegraph)
Irish quality assurance scheme for beef goes green – SIAL launch (Irish Independent)
New initiative aims to occupy empty city centre retail units (Connacht Sentinel)
Supermilk brand grows up fast in family market (Sunday Business Post)
Retail Ireland warn of closures if rates are not reduced (Irish Examiner)
Pernod Ricard sales rise 10% (Irish Times)
Food awards show culinary heritage alive and well (Irish Times)
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