Top stories in the papers this week 8 – 17 May 2010
John Travers appointed facilitator to draw up code of conduct; Tesco warns new guidelines will hit jobs; Breakfast roll man is back - UK bakery eyes Ireland
Print14 May 2010
1. John Travers appointed facilitator in drawing up voluntary code of conduct
According to Minister for Trade, Batt O’Keeffe, the Government is committed to reviewing the voluntary code’s progress and will make it mandatory if necessary. The Irish Times reports Minister O’Keeffe added the Competition Authority and National Consumer Association would be merged later this year to help honour this commitment, and a new competition body would have the power to search premises and remove documents.
More information about the new facilitator’s credentials can be found here.
However, the Government is merely “dilly-dallying” with a “toothless voluntary code,” according to Fine Gael spokesperson on Food & Horticulture, Andrew Doyle. Considering the failings of a voluntary code in the UK, Doyle has said the Government should take on board Fine Gael’s Fair Trade Bill, “instead of wasting even more time on putting together a toothless voluntary code, which will ultimately be put on a mandatory footing.”
2. Tesco warns new planning guidelines will hit jobs
A moratorium on large new retail developments in the midwest will result in the loss of 700 future jobs in Tesco’s operations, the retail giant has claimed. The Irish Times reports draft planning guidelines covering Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary are proposing that local authorities allow no net increase in floor space in large retail developments other than that arising from redevelopment projects. However Tesco has said this would cost the region €100 million in lost capital investment.
3. Breakfast roll man is back – UK bakery eyes Ireland
British bakery and sandwich chain Greggs is expected to move into the Irish market next year, The Sunday Tribune reports. Hoping to entice breakfast roll man out from hiding; the company is currently growing its UK store numbers from 1,400 to 2,000 and has reportedly been eyeing a move into Ireland for at least two months. The chain which is famous for selling freshly made food cheaply – a breakfast roll and coffee costs €2.30 – recently announced sales rose 4.8% last year.
4. Food imports are a cause for concern
Confirmation that imports of food and drink from the UK grew by 6% (€180m) last year should have alarm bells ringing in our food industry, writes Declan O’Brien in the Irish Independent. Figures released by the UK Food and Drink Federation show that last year’s imports from Northern Ireland and Britain topped €2.99bn. Friends First economist Jim Power has attributed the rise in imports from Britain last year to the decision by retail giants such as Tesco to switch from Irish to UK suppliers.
5. Over 10m cigarettes seized in Dublin
Customs officers seized 10.5 million contraband cigarettes worth an estimated €4.7 million at Dublin Port on Thursday. A Customs spokeswoman said the 6.8 million Mayfair and 3.7 million Benson & Hedges cigarettes, represented a potential loss to the exchequer of €3.5 million. However The Irish Times reveals no arrests were reported. Retailers Against Smuggling spokesman Benny Gilsenan said international criminals saw Ireland as a “soft touch” and Government needed to introduce “appropriate sentences.”
Also:
Recession blamed for surge in raids on post offices (Irish Independent)
Sainsbury’s profits soar by 17% (Belfast Telegraph)
‘Buy Up the City’ retail campaign returns to Limerick (Limerick Leader)
Prices are set to keep falling (Irish Examiner)
‘Recession over, long live recovery’, says bullish Goodbody
Fayed sells Harrods for €1.7 billion (Irish Times)
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