SuperValu encourage Irish shoppers to shop sustainably by buying Irish products and supporting local this June for Guaranteed Irish Food Month

Research shows majority of Irish people (89%) believe buying local can help the environment

77% of Irish shoppers feel it is important to buy sustainable products

In the past year, 76% of Irish people say they have recycled more, 69% say they have reduced their use of single use plastic and 68% say they have reduced waste in their household

SuperValu, Ireland’s leading food retailer, 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: “We are at a point in history where action must be taken in order to ensure that we pass on a sustainable world to future generations. 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.

“Shopping local and buying Irish has numerous sustainability benefits from choosing products with the least amount of packaging to reduced food miles. This June, we are encouraging shoppers to buy Irish and support local whether it’s your local food producer, shop or café for Guaranteed Irish Food Month.”

Speaking about the launch, Bríd O’Connell, CEO Guaranteed Irish said: “We are delighted that SuperValu are once again supporting Guaranteed Irish Food Month this June. 365 days of the year, SuperValu encourage their customers to choose sustainable, Irish products that support local food producers and local jobs. Through buying Irish products, consumers are actively driving the multiplier effect and contributing to building sustainable communities - every €100 spent in the local economy is actually worth €500 to that same local economy.** This new research highlights Irish people’s commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and shop local. We are encouraging customers to continue to buy more Irish products, not only for the month of June, but all year round, so we can all play a part in contributing to a greener future, while supporting the local economy.”

 

Ends

Further media information:

Claire Fox / Cian Doherty

Drury

Claire.fox@drury.ie / cian.doherty@drury.ie

086 392 6584 (CF) / 087 772 6678 (CD)

Note to editor:

*ShopTalk Survey conducted in May 2022, with XXX adults surveyed across the country.

**Eurostats

About SuperValu

SuperValu serves over 2.7 million customers every week and has 222 stores nationwide. Together with its retail partners, SuperValu employs approximately 16,000 colleagues, making it one of the State's largest private-sector employers. SuperValu continues to source locally wherever possible, which helps to sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.

About Food Academy:

The Food Academy programme, which is delivered by SuperValu in conjunction with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices, gives early-stage food and drink producers an opportunity to get their products on SuperValu shelves 52 weeks of the year. The programme has been an established part of the Irish food industry for nine years now and supports 1,500 jobs nationwide.

Currently, the Food Academy Programme supports 320 Irish food and drink producers. Their products are available 52 weeks of the year in their local SuperValu stores. Food Academy producers achieved sales of over €30 million and 6% growth in the last year highlighting the continuous support from customers for local and Irish products. Food Academy producers have sold a combined €200 million of produce in SuperValu since 2013.

About Guaranteed Irish:

Guaranteed Irish is a business membership network championing business based in Ireland since 1974. The Guaranteed Irish symbol is the national symbol of trust in business in Ireland. The official Guaranteed Irish licenced mark is awarded to businesses based in Ireland that support sustainable jobs, contribute to our local communities, and are committed to Irish provenance. Guaranteed Irish currently backs 2,000 business members, employing 120,000 people across Ireland, generating an annual combined Irish turnover of €13.15bn and €34.76bn revenue globally.