Circle K, Ireland’s leading forecourt and convenience retailer, is celebrating the reopening of its newly upgraded Glasnevin store following an investment of almost €250,000 in the site.

To mark the reopening and welcome customers to the upgraded store, Circle K is running a series of special promotions from 14 August to 21 August. Circle K Extra members can enjoy exclusive offers including 5c off per litre of fuel, €2.50 dispensed drinks, a €3 Chicken Fillet Roll and a free Pepsi or Red Bull with any sandwich.

The investment reinforces Circle K’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its retail network and providing customers with greater choice, convenience and value. The redevelopment has also retained the existing store team, supporting continued employment in the local Glasnevin community.

Customers visiting the upgraded Circle K Glasnevin store can now enjoy a new deli offering, providing an enhanced range of food-to-go options throughout the day. The store’s drinks offering has also been expanded, with a wider variety of functional beverages including fibre-infused sparkling sodas, vitamin-enhanced waters and matcha drinks, alongside a broader confectionery and snacks range.

The wider retail offering has also been enhanced with the addition of a new off-licence, giving customers greater choice and further strengthening the range of products and services available at the Glasnevin store. The store is also now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing even greater convenience for local residents, commuters and motorists travelling through the area.

Further investment is also planned in EV facilities at the Glasnevin site, further enhancing the customer experience and supporting the evolving needs of motorists.

The upgraded store has been designed to better meet the everyday needs of the local community, bringing together an expanded food and beverage range, everyday essentials and greater value in one convenient location.

Mary McDonald, Retail Director of Operations, Circle K Ireland, said “We’re delighted to celebrate the reopening of our upgraded Circle K Glasnevin store following an investment of almost €250,000 in the site. This investment has been focused on making a meaningful difference to the everyday experience of our customers, with a new deli and off-licence, an expanded drinks range and even greater choice across the store.

“Value and convenience are hugely important to our customers, and we’re delighted to mark the reopening with a range of exclusive offers for Circle K Extra members. With the store now open 24/7 and further investment planned in EV facilities, we’re continuing to evolve the site around the changing needs of our customers. We’re also very pleased to retain the existing store team and to continue investing in the Glasnevin community.”

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Growers say Ireland’s favourite vegetable is being sold below sustainable levels

Irish carrot growers are warning that the economics of producing Ireland’s favourite vegetable are becoming increasingly unsustainable, with production costs rising by approximately 100% since 2020 while retail carrot prices have increased by just 40% over the same period. Faced with rising production costs, unsustainable market returns and increasing climate-related challenges, including recent drought conditions, growers warn that urgent action is needed to ensure the long-term viability of Ireland’s favourite vegetable.

The Irish Carrot Growers Group represents more than 95% of Ireland’s retail carrot supply. The sector now comprises just nine commercial growers following the recent loss of a major producer that accounted for approximately 12% of national output.

Below sustainable cost

A kilogram of carrots currently retails for approximately €1.39. With an average kilogram containing around ten carrots, this equates to less than 14 cent per carrot. Growers estimate that a retail price of €1.98 per kilogram would be needed to track the cost against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) alone, which equates to approximately 20 cent per carrot, or a modest increase of just 6c per carrot.

This doesn’t however take into account the exceptional pressures of the current season or the substantial increases in costs that have occurred above general consumer inflation. These additional costs include significant increases in labour and material inputs, the growing impact of permanent climate change, tighter European restrictions and regulatory requirements. The growers’ position is that these are not simply inflationary pressures captured by the CPI. They represent real, sector-specific increases in the cost and complexity of producing carrots in Ireland.

Drought Impact

The pressure has intensified as growers manage one of the driest summers in recent years. Drought conditions have increased the need for irrigation by approximately 166%, adding significantly to fuel, labour and operational costs. According to Teagasc, input costs for field vegetable production increased by 77% between 2020 and January 2026, while a survey of Irish carrot growers indicates that drought-related pressures have added a further 13% increase to input costs during the current season which translates into a 23% increase in marketable production costs (€/t) for this period.

Tom Murray, Chair of the Irish Carrot Growers Group said, “Consumers see carrots as one of the most affordable and healthy foods available, and rightly so. However, the reality is that the current economics of producing carrots in Ireland no longer makes sense. The gap between production costs and returns has widened significantly over recent years and that is putting real pressure on growers.

Ireland is fortunate to have highly skilled carrot growers but the challenge now is ensuring that domestic production remains financially viable and that the next generation of growers has confidence to continue investing in the sector.”

Carrots remain Ireland’s most purchased vegetable, with retail sales of approximately 52,000 tonnes annually and a retail market value of approximately €66 million. Irish growers currently produce approximately 62,000 tonnes of carrots annually on 891 hectares nationwide.

Climate resilience and food security

Climate change is adding another layer of pressure to an already challenging production environment. Following previous drought events, growers have invested heavily in irrigation equipment, water storage and other resilience measures. However, increasingly frequent extreme weather events are requiring further investment simply to maintain reliable domestic production.

At the same time, European restrictions on pesticide use and expanding national and EU regulatory requirements are changing the way crops can be grown and increasing the resources required to produce them.

John Dockrell, Vice-Chair of the Irish Carrot Growers Group, said: “Climate events that were once considered unusual are becoming increasingly common. Growers are investing heavily in irrigation infrastructure, water storage and other resilience measures, while also adapting to changes in crop protection and regulatory requirements. All of this requires significant capital and, critically, confidence that there will be a sustainable return on that investment.

“Food security is not simply about having food available today. It is about retaining the growers, skills, infrastructure and investment needed to continue producing food in Ireland in the years ahead.

“Ireland currently imports approximately 18,000 to 20,000 tonnes of carrots annually. Maintaining a strong domestic sector therefore matters. Consumers want to buy Irish and support local growers, but that can only happen if domestic production remains economically viable.”

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Take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 5.8% over the four weeks to 9 August 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest data from Worldpanel by Numerator. Grocery inflation eased again, with like-for-like grocery prices up 3.87%. This figure is down 2.01% versus the same period last year, bringing welcome news for Irish shoppers.

The warm weather continued through July into August, and this was reflected in shoppers stocking up and making more trips to stores as they stocked up to enjoy the summer heatwave at home. Shoppers made 44 million trips to stores over the latest four-week period, an average of 23 trips per household, which is up 4.6% versus last year. Volumes were also up 4.9%, while shoppers spent on average €635 per person over the four weeks.

Emer Healy, Business Development Director at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “This summer’s warm weather has clearly put a spring in Irish shoppers’ step, with trips, volumes and spend all climbing, which will be positive news for Ireland’s grocers.”

The impact of the weather on shopping habits was also reflected at a category level, with typical summer fare seeing a boost over the latest 12-week period. Irish shoppers raised a glass to the sunshine, spending nearly €197 million on alcoholic beverages, up 5.6% versus last year. Shoppers spent an additional €36.1 million on goods typically associated with warmer weather, including soft drinks, antipasti, ice cream and suncare.

Despite the uptick in trips and volumes, value remains front of mind for Irish shoppers, who spent €829 million on promotional lines over the latest 12 weeks, giving promotions value share of 22.4%. Sales on promotion jumped 13.1% compared to the same period last year.

Emer Healy continued: “Shoppers have kept a keen eye on value throughout the summer, with promotional sales now accounting for nearly a quarter of spend. It’s clear that even amid the good weather and busier trollies, Irish shoppers haven’t lost sight of getting the best deal for their money.”

Branded goods the standout performer, while online sales fizz thanks to heatwave

Branded goods performed strongly, growing 12.2% in value and adding €200 million this period, with value share hitting 49.8%. Own label grew more modestly at 4.3%, adding €71 million. Premium own label ranges also held their own, up 13.6% in value, with shoppers spending an additional €19 million on retailers’ own ranges.

E-commerce also benefited from the rays, as more shoppers opted to get their shopping delivered to their front door. Irish shoppers made nearly eight online orders on average over the 12 weeks, leading to online sales jumping by 27.6% over the latest 12 weeks and shoppers spending an additional €54.1 million compared to the same period last year.

Lidl sees highest growth over latest 12 weeks

Over the latest 12 weeks, Dunnes holds 24.1% market share, with year-on-year sales growth of 8.4%. Dunnes shoppers visited more often, with trips up 2.9% versus last year, while the grocer welcomed new shoppers to store. More frequent trips and new shopper recruits boosted the retailer’s performance, contributing a combined €53.9 million.

Tesco holds 23.8% of the market, with year-on-year value growth of 7.9%. Tesco saw a boost of shoppers returning to store more often in the latest 12 weeks (+0.8%). Alongside more frequent trips, new shoppers to Tesco stores contributed an additional combined €34.1 million to overall performance.

SuperValu holds 19.4% share and grew this by 3.8% on the previous 12 weeks. It leads all major retailers on trip frequency, averaging 24.4 visits per person over the latest 12 weeks. New shoppers to store contributed an additional €21.7 million to overall performance.

Lidl market share stands at 14.8%, up 10.3% versus last year, meaning the discount retailer has seen the highest growth over the latest 12 weeks. Lidl saw existing shoppers return to store more often, while an influx of new shoppers contributed an additional €46.3 million to overall performance.

Aldi holds 10.9% market share. New shopper arrivals alongside more frequent trips drove an additional €1.9 million in sales.

An update on inflation

Grocery price inflation stands at 3.87% compared to the same 12-week period last year.

*This figure is based on over 30,000 identical products compared year-on-year in the proportions purchased by Irish shoppers and therefore represents the most authoritative figure currently available. It is a ‘pure’ inflation measure in that shopping behaviour is held constant between the two comparison periods – shoppers are likely to achieve a lower personal inflation rate if they trade down or seek out more offers.

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The significant investment spans improvements to both the store and forecourt, introducing an enhanced food and beverage offering and new services for motorists while creating a more modern and convenient experience for customers visiting the site.

All 14 existing roles at Circle K Ballina have been retained as part of the redevelopment.

Customers visiting the refurbished Ballina store can enjoy an enhanced food offering, including an expanded hot and cold grab-and-go range, an enhanced bakery offering and an enhanced coffee experience, with a broader choice of customer favourites and speciality options such as matcha.

The forecourt has also undergone significant improvements, including the installation of a new AdBlue pump and the addition of Ballina’s only brush wash facility, complete with a premium Ultimate wash programme.

Open 24/7 and available to all customers, the enhanced site further strengthens Circle K Ballina’s position as a convenient one-stop destination for motorists.

The refurbishment reinforces Circle K’s ongoing commitment to investing in its retail network while providing customers with more choice, greater convenience, and improved value.

Together, the improvements to the store and forecourt strengthen Circle K Ballina’s offering as a convenient destination for local residents and motorists, bringing an enhanced food-to-go offering, fuel and vehicle services together in one location.

Brian Connolly, Regional Director of Operations, Circle K Ireland, said: “This investment has allowed us to make meaningful improvements across the store and forecourt, giving our customers greater choice and convenience, from an enhanced food and beverage offering to improved services for motorists.

“We’re committed to continuing to invest in the communities we serve, supporting quality local employment and delivering the value and convenience our customers expect from Circle K.

“We’re very pleased to retain all 14 existing roles at our Ballina store and look forward to welcoming customers to experience the newly refurbished site and our special reopening offers.”

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The representative body for vape retailers is calling on Government to reconsider plans to restrict the flavours available in regulated vaping products, warning that removing all but a very limited number of flavours could make it harder for adult smokers to quit and risk pushing consumers towards cigarettes or the black market.

The call comes as a major international review finds that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than traditional smoking cessation measures.

The Cochrane review, which examined 80 trials involving almost 30,000 people, found that smokers using nicotine e-cigarettes had a significantly higher chance of quitting than those using nicotine replacement measures such as patches and gum, increasing the success rate by about 60% from six in every 100 to one in 10.

RVI says the findings should prompt the Government to take a more evidence-based approach to vaping as it prepares to bring the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill back before the Oireachtas later this year.

An RVI spokesperson said “This research reinforces the widely held view that regulated vaping products can be one of the most effective tools available to adult smokers trying to quit.

That evidence is particularly important in Ireland, where smoking rates remain stubbornly high at 17%.

Tobacco Free Ireland initially set a target of reducing smoking prevalence to below 5% by 2025. We are nowhere near that target, and if Ireland is serious about driving smoking rates down, regulated alternatives such as vaping products must remain available to adult smokers looking to quit.

Government needs to seriously consider whether its current approach is helping or hindering the goal of getting more people off cigarettes. Restricting access to regulated vaping products without properly considering the consequences risks making it harder for smokers to make the switch.”

They added “Ireland should learn from experiences in other countries like Estonia and the Netherlands, where restrictive rules caused a balloon in the blackmarket and pushed people back towards smoking.

When the Nicotine Bill returns before the Oireachtas, Government should seriously consider retaining a limited list of basic flavours. Otherwise, we risk sleepwalking into the same mistakes made elsewhere and undermining our entire tobacco-free strategy.”

RVI has consistently called for proportionate, evidence-based regulation which protects young people, tackles illicit products and preserves vaping’s role as a harm-reduction option for adult smokers.

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