Budget response: Independent retailers need more help to pay rocketing energy bills

Wendy McCague — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 12:24:08 +0000

UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt should have done more to help struggling independent retailers with sky-high energy bills in today’s budget, the trade association which represents independent retailers has said.

Responding to today’s autumn statement, which announced cuts of £35billion and tax increases amounting to £billion, the Fed’s National President, Jason Birks, said that more independent retailers could be forced out of business as a result.

He added: “As a government that has stood as the party for businesses, this statement does not benefit independent retailers.

“Independent retailers are the heart of many communities and the decision made by the government to raise the energy cap to £3,000 may result in the closures of small, independent stores across the country. For many rural areas, these stores are the only access many residents have to a shop without needing to travel. For many, visiting a store is the only time they see someone during the day. This in-person contact is essential for the well-being of community members. Loss of these because of the strain that will be placed on businesses is going to have profound impacts on many communities.”

He continued: “It is essential that small business is supported and helped through this time of crisis. Lack of support is unthinkable and the added expense to an already squeezed budget could just mean the end for many businesses. This is unimaginable and the government must act now to ensure that this doesn’t happen.”

The government’s decision to raise the energy cap to £3000 without guaranteed support past April is a terrifying prospect, Mr Birks added. Small businesses are already struggling to survive the pressure that is the cost-of-living crisis – the decision to further strain businesses will be crippling. The Fed hopes that the Chancellor’s pledge to target relief at businesses will prioritise struggling small businesses to help them survive during this time of crisis.

The Fed calls for the government to consider the impact that these measures will have on independent retailers and hopes to work with ministers to find support for those, who throughout the pandemic, were a lifeline for this country.

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SuperValu encourage shoppers to support local this June for Guaranteed Irish Food Month

Linda Stewart — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 08:21:46 +0000

SuperValu is partnering with Guaranteed Irish to encourage shoppers to shop sustainably, buy Irish and support local this June as part of Guaranteed Irish Food Month.

The call comes as new research shows that the vast majority (89%) of Irish people believe buying local products can help the environment, while 77 per cent of Irish shoppers feel it is important to buy sustainable products.

Over the past 12 months, shoppers say they have actively increased their efforts reduce their impact on the environment with three-quarters of people recycling more (76%), 69% reducing their use of single use plastic and 68% reducing waste in their household. Some 84% believe it is important to buy products that are in sustainable packaging.

The new research highlighted that three-quarters of people (76 per cent) prefer to buy more sustainable products whenever possible. More than two-thirds (69%) say they have made a more conscious decision to buy more sustainable products over the last 12 months.

Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Irish shoppers have bought more locally produced goods in the past 12 months. Buying Irish products is not just important for the local economy, it is also positive for the environment. Some 89 per cent of people believe buying local helps the environment, while more than half of shoppers say that low food miles are an important consideration when doing their shopping (58%).

When asked what environmentally sustainable actions by business they value, one-third of respondents said waste reduction (33%), a quarter said using sustainable packaging, 14 per cent said reducing carbon footprint, while more than one in ten (13 per cent) said protecting and supporting biodiversity.

Ray Kelly, Marketing Director, Musgrave Retail Partners said: “It is heartening to see the importance Irish people place on shopping in a sustainable way. At SuperValu, we have been investing time, resources and finances into becoming a more sustainable business. We’ve operated a zero food waste to landfill policy for over 15 years, we have recycling rates of 97% and over 90% of the plastic packaging for our own brand products is now recyclable.

“While we still have work to do in this area, another key focus of ours is in supporting and developing sustainable Irish producers. The survey findings prove that shoppers are making conscious decisions to shop sustainably and view Irish and local products as the most environmentally-friendly.

“At SuperValu we are committed to providing our customers with more sustainable choices. We recently launched the Taste of Local initiative, which showcases hundreds of small Irish food and drink producers in stores across the country, while SuperValu’s Food Academy programme for early-stage food and drink producers supports 320 Irish food and drink producers, 52 weeks of the year.”

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Budget response: Independent retailers need more help to pay rocketing energy bills

SuperValu encourage shoppers to support local this June for Guaranteed Irish Food Month