Lidl Ireland To Open New Longford Store Next Week
Checkout Magazine
Ireland's Industry Magazine For The Grocery Retail And FMCG Sectors.
Lidl Ireland has announced the opening date for its newest store in Ballymahon, Co. Longford, bringing its ‘More to Value’ proposition to the area.
The county’s second Longford store will officially open at 8am on Thursday 20 November, marking a major milestone in the retailer’s ambitious expansion programme.
Located on Church View, Main Street Ballymahon, the store will create 25 permanent jobs for the community.
Longford County LGFA Vice Captain Katie Crawford will be on hand to cut the ribbon at 8am sharp on opening day, greeting the first shoppers as they enter the store.
Lidl Ballymahon will have a range of opening day offers available for customers and the first ten shoppers will also receive complimentary vouchers to redeem in-store.
Dawn Meats Wins World’s Best Steak Award At World Steak Challenge 2025
A 32-day aged Irish Angus striploin, produced by Dawn Meats and sold in Lidl Ireland supermarkets, has won the World’s Best Steak Award at the World Steak Challenge 2025.
The steak also earned the title of Europe’s Best Steak and the World’s Best Grass-Fed Sirloin.
In addition to winning the overall title, Dawn Meats also won the World’s Best Grass-Fed Ribeye for its Premier Butcher Ribeye Wagyu Cross steak.
As well as the top prize in these categories, Dawn Meats also won ten gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
It was the only Irish company to win awards in the overall world’s best categories.
Irish Poultry Farms Given Housing Order Over Bird Flu
The Department of Agriculture has placed a housing order on Irish poultry farms following avian flu outbreaks reported across Ireland.
An outbreak in Monaghan is the third recorded on a commercial turkey farm in less than a week, and all of the turkeys in the flock will be culled this week.
However, the most recent outbreak is of considerable concern as there is a high concentration of poultry farms in the border region of Cavan and Monaghan.
To prevent further outbreaks, the government placed a housing order on Irish poultry farms on Monday, following a similar call in Northern Ireland last Thursday.
UK Supermarket Sales Slow Ahead Of Black Friday And Christmas Deals – NIQ
Total till sales in UK supermarkets rose to +3.2% in the last four weeks ending 1 November 2025, according to new data released today by NielsenIQ (NIQ).
This is a slowdown from the +4.1% growth recorded in September, in part due to shoppers’ anticipation of seasonal promotions and saving opportunities in the lead up to Christmas, such as Black Friday.
This, combined with the pressure on household finances due to continued inflation, likely contributed to this fall in sales growth.
As retail spending continues to slow amidst economic pressures, Black Friday at the end of November will be an important kickstart to seasonal shopper spending.
According to NIQ, some 45% of UK households took part in Black Friday last year, and it is now regarded one of the biggest shopping days across both FMCG and wider ecommerce.
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