A retailers’ group has warned that the Government plan to introduce plain tobacco packaging will fail unless measures introduced in Australia are included.

The Central Remedial Clinic must provide “forensic” details for how “every cent” of the Santa Bear appeal is spent if it wants to protect the vital fundraising campaign from the unrelated top-ups controversy.

Half of all retail outlets will stop selling cigarettes if Health Minister James Reilly hikes the licence fee on providing tobacco products to €500 a year.

While Suzanne Harrington doesn’t agree with most censorship, she’s backing the campaign to put lads’ mags behind the counter, and out of the line of vision of her children.

The chief executive of a body representing Irish newsagents has defended a shops’ right to stock “lads’ mags” on their shelves as they are operating fully within the law.

Tobacco manufacturers and retailers have warned that new EU anti-smoking legislation will boost the illegal tobacco market and cost the State tens of millions of euro.

Rural fuel retailers are being forced out of business by a range of stringent new licenses being introduced by Revenue to clamp down on illegal fuel.

More than 400 corner shops have closed down in the last two years, and trade is down by more than 15% for those still in business, according to the chief executive of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association.

Two convenience stores a week are closing down — 400 over the last two years — as shop owners struggle to cope with tightening bank credit and high rents and rates, the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association has claimed.

Local shops want to be able to set the price of tobacco products sold in their stores, rather than allowing the Government to determine the price.

THE manager of the only hotel on Inis Mór has been told by a District Court judge that he is “utterly unsuitable” to run a licenced premises.

AN organisation representing 1,500 small shops and retailers has called for the online sale of alcohol to be scrapped in a bid to stop teenagers buying it.

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.

RETAILERS have warned that a dozen newsagents and convenience stores are closing down every week, with up to 7,000 job losses expected in the sector by the end of the year.

Up to 50 newsagents are going out of business every month, according to the Convenience Store and Newsagent Association.

SHOPPERS could face the loss of Laser card services at the checkout after retailers warned of retaliation against plans by AIB bank to start charging for cashback transactions.

SHOP owners came under fire last night after a survey showed almost half of retailers were willing to sell cigarettes to minors.

AN IDENTITY card system needs to be introduced immediately to ensure tobacco is not sold to minors, says the umbrella body for convenience stores and newsagents throughout the country.

MAGAZINE readers in Ireland are paying 25% more for their favourite monthly read than buyers in Britain.

Energy supplier, Energia, has signed a new nationwide power supply agreement with the Irish Retail Newsagents Association (IRNA), the representative body of retailers and newsagents nationwide.

SHOPKEEPERS who give away plastic bags instead of charging the 15 cent Government levy are facing a crackdown and fines of up to €3,000.