Lidl spend €4m on local stock

LIDL Ireland has published a new report which details the budget retail chain’s impact on the Irish economy and local communities on a county -by-county basis.

While the document is essentially a well-crafted positive public relations piece, the report does contain some interesting items about the chain and the effect of its presence on the regions.

The Lidl ‘Impact Report’ is based on an economic report commissioned by the German-owned retailer in recent years to “quantify the contribution Lidl makes to the Irish economy”.

As well as examining economic statistics, the report also identifies the “additional impact” Lidl is having locally in the context of its commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, “A Better Tomorrow”.

Among the key items in the report relating to Kerry is the statistic stating that over €4 million of agri-food produce has been sourced by Lidl from local suppliers in the county – a very significant amount which represents a major source of income for some producers.

The report also provides some details on staffing levels stating that the company currently directly employs over 100 people in its seven stores in Kerry.

There are also some interesting statistics on the chain’s involvement with local charities.

According to the report, 17,500 meals were donated through a nationwide initiative with FoodCloud to distribute surplus food to worthy causes. In Kerry, 13 local charities and community groups working with Lidl and FoodCloud were supported in the region, benefiting from €24,000 worth of donations. Meanwhile, €17,000 was raised for Jigsaw, Lidl’s charity partner, which provides mental health support to young people in Kerry; and an additional €2,500 was donated to local charities and community groups.

Six local Ladies Gaelic Football clubs benefiting from jerseys or other equipment under the firm’s Ladies Gaelic Football partnership

Stock Image Lidl’s flagship outlet in Kerry located at Edward St in Tralee.