iceland finglas

channelsurfer2

happened to notice that iceland had re-opened under franchise in finglas.everything in there was priced at the rate of £1 to €1.50. anything that was marked 1pound was 1.50euro and anything that was 2pound was 3euro.
another example of a uk shop not passing on the sterling difference. shop wasnt very busy either so I guess people realise that they are been ripped off.

ScouseMouse

Get a grip. What about the shipping, the extra VAT, the extra costs of dealing in Ireland. This has been played out a gazillion times, perhaps you could have a read through past threads.

channelsurfer2

rubbish.... i have read all those so called excuse threads.. still doesent wash with me.... if they charged 1.30 or so perhaps but not 1.50 thats taking the proverbial....

tommy21

superscouse wrote: »

Get a grip. What about the shipping, the extra VAT, the extra costs of dealing in Ireland. This has been played out a gazillion times, perhaps you could have a read through past threads.

I have to say I also disagree with you. Prices will always be higher here than in the North and the rest of the UK due to the factors you mention - VAT, shipping etc. But the majority of retailers seem to use this to charge extortionate prices instead of what they should be charging - the difference. You mention the gazillion threads - there are also a gazillion threads showing how much we are all still being ripped off. As the OP said you'd expect some difference of course, but not such a large markup as the OP quotes. Of course that doesn't seem like much, but when your talking bigger numbers that translates to hundreds of euro, it is much clearer.

PCPhoto

stupid thread is stupid !!!

what do you expect them to do .... have an electronic price .... which fluctuates with the current exchange rate ?

Ireland is more expensive than other countries because of our layers of inefficiencies - if we remove those layers we force thousands of people onto the dole queue, we will continue to have expensive shops unless the country starts becoming self sufficient (making our own country brand ....eg. Ireland brand bananas, apples, oranges, etc...none of these foreign stuff .... what do you want next .... Brazil nuts - from Ireland !!! )

tommy21

PCPhoto wrote: »

stupid thread is stupid !!!

what do you expect them to do .... have an electronic price .... which fluctuates with the current exchange rate ?

by the time you get to the till - you could have saved 3c on this product !!!

:rolleyes:

ejmaztec

Anyway, the Sterling diff is heading the wrong way for us now, so expect to see even more people moaning about getting "ripped off".

tommy21

PCPhoto wrote: »

stupid thread is stupid !!!

what do you expect them to do .... have an electronic price .... which fluctuates with the current exchange rate ?

Ireland is more expensive than other countries because of our layers of inefficiencies - if we remove those layers we force thousands of people onto the dole queue, we will continue to have expensive shops unless the country starts becoming self sufficient (making our own country brand ....eg. Ireland brand bananas, apples, oranges, etc...none of these foreign stuff .... what do you want next .... Brazil nuts - from Ireland !!! )

So you're saying keep the country inefficient?

Ireland brand bananas, oranges etc. are never going to happen to any sort of a large extent due to the climate

The OP isn't talking about exotic Brazil nuts, he's simply asking why can't we be given the same deal (allowing for a reasonable amount of markup for the marginally higher cost of trading and VAT) as our UK counterparts? It's partly because people like you continue to put up with it and purchase them. Either that or you have a vested interest.

ScouseMouse

tommy21 wrote: »

I have to say I also disagree with you. Prices will always be higher here than in the North and the rest of the UK due to the factors you mention - VAT, shipping etc. But the majority of retailers seem to use this to charge extortionate prices instead of what they should be charging - the difference. You mention the gazillion threads - there are also a gazillion threads showing how much we are all still being ripped off. As the OP said you'd expect some difference of course, but not such a large markup as the OP quotes. Of course that doesn't seem like much, but when your talking bigger numbers that translates to hundreds of euro, it is much clearer.

They are all very fair points but as its a franchise, I am sure he/she is paying a high franchise fee. The running costs in this country are extortionate, I know, I have to pay them. A pound is what, about 1.20 - 1.25 at the moment? He/she is probably locked into a fixed rate at whatever it was when he signed up. Then the stuff has to be shipped in specifically from the UK. Add this to our higher wage rates and all the rest (Dont think I need to list them, you probably know), I wouldnt say he/she is to far off the mark at 1.50 to the euro.

What I do know is, whoever they are, they are brave people. The retail trade is on its knees at the moment and he needs all the luck he can get.

tommy21

superscouse wrote: »

They are all very fair points but as its a franchise, I am sure he/she is paying a high franchise fee. The running costs in this country are extortionate, I know, I have to pay them. A pound is what, about 1.20 - 1.25 at the moment? He/she is probably locked into a fixed rate at whatever it was when he signed up. Then the stuff has to be shipped in specifically from the UK. Add this to our higher wage rates and all the rest (Dont think I need to list them, you probably know), I wouldnt say he/she is to far off the mark at 1.50 to the euro.

What I do know is, whoever they are, they are brave people. The retail trade is on its knees at the moment and he needs all the luck he can get.

Well possibly though aren't most of the foreign stores here acting as a franchise? (Could be way off on that one). It isn't the greatest example of a rip-off but I guess the issue itself riles me up.

Yeah your right about being brave, it's only getting worse for them. Since your a retailer - can you tell me why stores even leave the sterling price on? Don't get me wrong I'm glad they do but surely it creates trouble for them? And I don't mean to tar all retailers with the same brush, just the rip-off merchants.

robd

superscouse wrote: »

Get a grip. What about the shipping, the extra VAT, the extra costs of dealing in Ireland. This has been played out a gazillion times, perhaps you could have a read through past threads.

Retailers get away with the higher prices because people accept crap like this.

Nolan's in Clontarf sell everything marked in £ at the same price in €. They've a slogan "Price flashed in Sterling, your's in Euro"

So you certainly can have £1=€1.

They worked hard over the last 2 years to genuinely bring their prices down. This means most of their dry goods are now source up north as they had a very public battle with suppliers here, who actually upped their prices in the middle of a recession.

Obviously with value of Euro heading south the continuation of this deal is questionable but at least they try.

ScouseMouse

robd wrote: »

Retailers get away with the higher prices because people accept crap like this.

Nolan's in Clontarf sell everything marked in £ at the same price in €. They've a slogan "Price flashed in Sterling, your's in Euro"

So you certainly can have £1=€1.

They worked hard over the last 2 years to genuinely bring their prices down. This means most of their dry goods are now source up north as they had a very public battle with suppliers here, who actually upped their prices in the middle of a recession.

Obviously with value of Euro heading south the continuation of this deal is questionable but at least they try.

That store youre talking about, I have heard of. I assume he is there years. So probably no mortgage and a big trade in repeat business. As an "established" store, he wont have a lot of the costs a new store has. Leasing of tills, store fitout, etc etc.

Here we have a new store, probably newly fitted, shipping stock in on a ferry from the UK.

Lets say a product costs 70p and iceland uk charges £1 as marked on the box. (Last time I looked it was printed on the box, not a removeable sticker.) Thats 30% profit before costs. The same packet costs finglas 70p - maybe 80c then add the ferry and the extra truck, that doesnt cost the uk stores. Then add VAT, if applicable, which is about 3 or 4% higher over here. mmmmmm. What are we up to now? Then add higher wages and the rest. Thats blown away selling at parity as someone suggested.

While not ideal,I still dont think a new store charging 1.5 to the pound, is over the top. As time goes on and he makes some money, he should be in a position to lower his prices. As its a franchise, its probably a person we are talking about, not a big company with plenty of cash.

channelsurfer2

as has been pointed out I have no objection to reasonable costs on top of the exchange rate but seeing as food items are vat rated at 0% which is 99% of what iceland sell then you have to say its even worse...

ejmaztec

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

as has been pointed out I have no objection to reasonable costs on top of the exchange rate but seeing as food items are vat rated at 0% which is 99% of what iceland sell then you have to say its even worse...

How does Iceland's prices compare with those of Irish retailers?

Pacing Mule

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

as has been pointed out I have no objection to reasonable costs on top of the exchange rate but seeing as food items are vat rated at 0% which is 99% of what iceland sell then you have to say its even worse...

If it's the same setup as a typical Iceland store it will have a large portion of products at 21% Vat rates. Food is only 0% rated when it's a basic food and not a luxury item.

Guy:Incognito

I've been in Iceland a few times. I've been happy with the price and happy to pay them.

What they sell stuff for in the UK is of no relevance to me, I dont live there.

borderlinemeath

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

as has been pointed out I have no objection to reasonable costs on top of the exchange rate but seeing as food items are vat rated at 0% which is 99% of what iceland sell then you have to say its even worse...

What country are you talking about?:eek:
Unless you live on basic foodstuffs - spuds, veg, meat, milk then Ireland charges VAT on food.

And Iceland is not that type of supermarket, all those ready meals are considered "luxury" and are the full 21%

Next time you go to Aldi or Lidl have a look at the receipts as they are very transparent as to what VAT rate is charged on each item.
Things that I would consider to be basic enough are 21% ie orange juice, dog food are 21% VAT inclusive.

So for your £1 your at €1.21 before you factor in an exchange rate and all other associated costs.

jahalpin

I've been in the Iceland store in Finglas a few times since it re-opened late last year.

The selection of products is very good and, even with a rate of 1.50 to the U.K. printed price, the prices are very reasonable.

As other posters have said, the prices printed in Sterling are based on the cost structure of their U.K. operations which is a lot lower than the R.O.I. due to;

- Far higher minimum wage in ROI than UK
- Higher distribution costs due to far lower economies of scale in ROI ie 4 or 5 stores in the entire R.O.I. v hundreds in the UK
- Higher VAT in ROI
- Higher operating costs inc. rent, rates, electricity, telephone, insurance etc.

The stores in R.O.I. are now franchises rather than company owned stores which means that they would have to pay direct franchising costs to the parent company

channelsurfer2

well thats peoples choices... if they want to pay 1.50 for something that costs 1pound elsewhere then go ahead knowing that it should be really 1.35 at the most... i wont be paying it. as for the franchise part of it well my guess is someone has seen how popular iceland in newry/eniskillen is with southern shoppers and decided that they can make a profit on it with an exchange rate of 1.50 in finglas...

Xterminator

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

well thats peoples choices... if they want to pay 1.50 for something that costs 1pound elsewhere then go ahead knowing that it should be really 1.35 at the most... i wont be paying it. as for the franchise part of it well my guess is someone has seen how popular iceland in newry/eniskillen is with southern shoppers and decided that they can make a profit on it with an exchange rate of 1.50 in finglas...

did you read the comments above?

are you dismissing the fact that the strenght of sterling, shipping, wages, rates etc are all contribute to making imported goods more expensive here?

or have you just picked a figure from the sky (1.35) and decided thats what it should be ?

no-one likes to be ripped off. but honestly the food prices in iceland are reasonable, and in some cases a quite a bit cheaper than you would pay for 'premium' brands like birds eye etc, while still of decent quality.

ntlbell

channelsurfer2 wrote: »

well thats peoples choices... if they want to pay 1.50 for something that costs 1pound elsewhere then go ahead knowing that it should be really 1.35 at the most... i wont be paying it. as for the franchise part of it well my guess is someone has seen how popular iceland in newry/eniskillen is with southern shoppers and decided that they can make a profit on it with an exchange rate of 1.50 in finglas...

Move to the UK.

Problem solved.

91011

ntlbell wrote: »

Move to the UK.

Problem solved.

but then they would have to pay £2500 council tax, £400 water rates, get paid a lower salary & pay higher tax. - Of course they'll save 5% on their food bills.

ntlbell

91011 wrote: »

but then they would have to pay £2500 council tax, £400 water rates, get paid a lower salary & pay higher tax. - Of course they'll save 5% on their food bills.

sounds like a bargain alert