Enterprise Ireland will open the DBEI scheme on April 29 2020 to support retail companies to enhance their digital capability in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Applicants must be an Irish-owned retail enterprise that had 10 or more employees on or before 29 February 2020, derive their primary income from an existing  retail outlet/s and have an existing online presence.

Click here for details.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley told the Waste Management Advisory Group conference call on Food Waste Management that consumers currently wanted loose goods to be packaged due to Covid-19 concerns.

Independent retailers are very keen supporters of measures to reduce single use plastic and unnecessary food packaging but Covid-19 is making consumers revert back to purchasing packaged fruit and vegetable and baked goods.  Buckley said that measures to encourage more recycling and less food waste should be about incentivising behaviour and not about adding costs or more red tape. The Advisory Group is assisting with the development of climate action and waste management policy in a circular economy.

If you have views on any issues relating to food waste, waste management, recycling, single use plastics then please get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to assist us with influencing policy development.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley took part in a telephone conference call with members of the National Cash Forum and the National Cash Contingency Group on Friday 24. The group heard that there were no problems with maintaining cash supplies during the lockdown and problems with cash are not anticipated when the lockdown is lifted. If you have any issues that you want RGDATA to raise in relation to cash and payments email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley is a member of the National Strategic Retail Theft Forum and the gardai are interested in hearing any issues that are arising for retailers. Please email us to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will raise your concerns with the Forum. Click here to read the latest advice on vacant buildings.

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley has been invited to represent Irish retailers on an international webinar being organised by the UK’s Association of Convenience Stores(ACS).

The International webinar will be a comparison of how retailers in different countries are reacting to the changes and limitations that the pandemic has brought including supply chain issues, consumer behaviour, and changes in regulations.

The webinar takes place on Wednesday 29th April at 3pm (BST) which will last for about 40 minutes.  RGDATA will share link to the webinar for those interested in logging in to watch it.

The Banking and Payments Federation has issued a press release warning SMEs about supplier and invoice scams. Click here to read the release.

The European Commission has recently opened a consultation to amend the Food Supplement Regulation (1925/2006) that proposes to ban all products containing Aloe Vera – including ones that retailers might have in stock or on their shelves – without any transition period. Independent Retail Europe, of which RGDATA is an associate member, has developed a draft position paper on the issue and is seeking clarification on which products are affected.

The draft Regulation aims to prohibit the intentional addition of botanical species containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives, an extract from aloe plants, because of their potentially carcinogenic effects. However, the scope is unclear and the current text could be interpreted in such a way that all products containing aloe will be banned. This could impact on a range of food products and certain beverages such as juices, alcoholic spirits.

IRE is seeking urgent clarifications on the scope in a draft position paper. If you currently stock and sell products containing Aloe Vera any comments or suggestions are welcome until 20 April COB email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley continues to liaise with Government, the HSE, other regulatory bodies and the media raising the concerns and issues arising for independent family shops, convenience stores and supermarkets. The RGDATA Board held a special Covid 19 meeting via conference call and will continue to liaise regularly to identify RGDATA members’ issues and concerns and ensure that action is taken to address them.

Please email us with any concerns that you have to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will revert to you within 24 hours. Our telephone Helpline 01-2887584 is active 9am – 5.30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Make sure you are getting our news emails and ezines – send us in contact details if you want us to message you to different email addresses or mobile phones.

RGDATA is liaising with the Central Bank and the main banks to raise independent retailers’ concerns regarding cash, payments and banking services. If you have any issues that you need addressed please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will contact you to speak in confidence. RGDATA Director General Tara Buckley is due to have a conference call meeting with the Bank of Ireland CEO on Thursday.

Click here to read the latest issue of Convenience & Forecourt Retailer which includes an article by Tara Buckley, Director General RGDATA about the challenges facing independent retailers in 2020.