Large retailers are taking advantage of lockdown restrictions to remain open - Retail Excellence

Retail Excellence is now asking the Government to ensure retailers who are permitted to remain open during the current lockdown restrict their sales activities to essential items only. Picture Dan Linehan

The chief executive of Ireland’s largest retail body has said large retailers are rubbing salt into the wounds of smaller retailers by selling non-essential items.

Duncan Graham, CEO of Retail Excellence which represents over 2,000 retailers in the state, said the organisation has been inundated with calls from smaller retailers about the issue.

The group is now asking the Government to ensure retailers who are permitted to remain open during the current lockdown restrict their sales activities to essential items only.

“Our concern is that large retailers are abusing the fact that they are allowed remain open by selling non-essential as well as essential items,” he said.

“This rubs salt into the wounds of smaller retailers who are forced to close but who now see larger competitors take advantage of their closure.” 

Mr Graham said the organisation will be writing to the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Leo Varadkar to ask the Government to ensure that the regulations for retail outlets are enforced.

“The Government said that public health advice required non-essential retailers to close so why are they allowing exceptions to this rule and penalising those of us who are doing what we were asked?” The organisation had sought for all retailers to be allowed remain open during the Level 5 period but that this was not permitted.

Spirit of Lockdown

Mr Graham said there appeared to be a significant difference between the way large retailers are responding to the current lockdown compared to their response to the original lockdown in March. He called on them to respect “the spirit of the lockdown.” “We need this lockdown to work so that we can all open for business in December but if large retailers spend the coming weeks seeking ways to work around the regulations, the lockdown won’t work and they and all of us will suffer as a result,” he warned.

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English has asked essential retailers to consider their colleagues. Picture: JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English said retailers with mixed retail offerings which have discrete spaces for essential and non-essential retail should make arrangements for the separation and closure of non-essential retail.

He also called on retailers to respect the “spirit” of the guidelines and regulations.

"During this period of restrictions, I would ask all essential retailers who can remain open to be conscious of how your trade impacts on your colleagues who are closed or only operating a click and collect service."