Rural Ireland heading towards ‘retail wasteland’ claims newsagent group

RURAL Ireland is heading towards a retail wasteland, due to unfair mandatory wage structures, representatives from the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA) told a Dáil Committee yesterday.

CSNA head Vincent Jennings — along with two colleagues — told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment that there is a real danger of growing numbers of convenience store closures around the country and an end to a substantial employment base for towns, villages and communities as a result of generally high rates and Joint Labour Committee (JLC)-set wage rates. “Our sector, those that sell bacon, ham, pressed beef and sausages, all other food or drink for human consumption off the premises and/or tobacco products are subject to statutory minimum rates set by the RGAT (Retail, Grocery and Allied Trades) Joint Labour Committee,” said Mr Jennings.

The CSNA — which represents 1,500 small and medium-sized retailers around the country — recently estimated that more than 600 newsagents and convenience stores will close by the end of this year, with the loss of 7,000 jobs and that about a dozen are currently closing each week.