Guaranteed Irish calls on shoppers to consider their impact on local jobs
With the Christmas gifting season just around the corner, shoppers from across the country are keeping an eye on potential bargains in the upcoming Black Friday sales. Guaranteed Irish is reminding Irish consumers to be conscious of Black Friday’s impact on homegrown businesses and to shop local where possible.
Preparations for Black Friday follow a recent release from the Central Statistics Office. According to the CSO, September 2019 saw a month-on-month increase of 2.0% increase of retail sales and an increase of 2.1% in the annual figure, excluding motor sales, with similar increases can be expected in the run-up to Christmas. Around €4.65 billion will be spent by Irish shoppers during the 2018 Christmas period, based on research from Retail Ireland. Retail Ireland also reported that the average Irish household spent €2,690 over the 2018 Christmas period, a third consecutive annual increase for year-on-year Christmas spending. Guaranteed Irish hopes that consumers will keep Ireland’s innovative producers and manufacturers in mind when deciding where to spend this Christmas period.
Brid O’Connell, CEO Guaranteed Irish, commented: “Guaranteed Irish members collectively employ 73,000 people nationwide. As a brand, Guaranteed Irish represents all that is good about Ireland – so look out for it. By supporting Guaranteed Irish businesses, you are retaining jobs in your community and supporting your local economy. We ask you to consider this, whether buying on- or offline.”
Guaranteed Irish is one of Ireland’s most enduring, recognisable and authentic symbols. The symbol is awarded to companies which provide quality jobs, support local communities and are committed to Irish provenance. Guaranteed Irish membership is open to both homegrown and international companies in Ireland, across all sectors. Only businesses which meet our criteria can carry the Guaranteed Irish symbol.
