Commerce & Services Ireland

Major Supermarket Chains

Tesco Ireland: The largest retail chain, with 164 stores nationwide; offers a wide range of food, household goods, and electronics.

SuperValu: A chain of 223 stores; offers food and everyday goods.

Dunnes Stores: An Irish chain combining supermarkets and department stores; includes 123 stores; offers food, clothing, and household items.

Aldi and Lidl: German discount retailers; offer food and household goods.

Convenience Store Chains

Centra: A network of approximately 560 stores; offers food and daily necessities.

Spar and Londis: International chains; offer food and related products.

Shopping Centers and Hypermarkets

Ireland also has large shopping centers such as Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin and Mahon Point in Cork, home to hypermarkets and various shops offering a wide assortment of goods, including clothing, electronics, and household items.

Below are the largest online stores popular among Irish shoppers:

Amazon: An international e-commerce giant offering a wide range of items: from books and electronics to clothing and household appliances. Irish users often use the UK version of the site (https://www.amazon.co.uk/).

eBay: A global platform for buying and selling new and used goods. Irish users actively use the UK version (https://www.ebay.co.uk/).

DoneDeal: Specializes in the sale of cars, real estate, and other goods. The site is popular among locals for buying and selling various goods and services.

Adverts.ie: An Irish platform for private ads, where users can buy and sell a wide range of items, including electronics, furniture, and clothing.

Tesco Ireland: A large retail chain offering an online platform for ordering food and household goods with home delivery.

Argos Ireland: An online store offering a wide range of products: from electronics and toys to furniture and appliances.

Currys PC World Ireland: Specializes in selling electronics and appliances, offering online orders with delivery throughout Ireland.

Littlewoods Ireland: An online department store offering clothing, electronics, household items, and more.

Smyths Toys: A popular toy and children's store with online ordering and delivery options.

Brown Thomas: An Irish luxury department store; offers an online platform for purchasing designer clothes, accessories, and cosmetics.

The state company An Post provides universal postal services covering all regions of the country, including remote and rural areas:

Express Post: Next working day delivery across Ireland.

Registered Post: Shipping with tracking and receipt confirmation.

EMS (Express Mail Service): International express delivery.

Postal savings accounts: The possibility of opening deposit accounts through post offices.

Post office working hours: most post offices are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. However, opening hours may vary depending on the specific office and its location.

In addition to traditional postal services, An Post provides the ability to pay utility and other bills through post offices; the sale of SIM cards and mobile top-ups; the processing of various licenses and certificates, including television licenses.

There are also several international and local courier companies operating in Ireland, providing various delivery services.

International Courier Services

DHL Express: offers express delivery of documents, parcels, and freight worldwide; provides fast and reliable delivery with tracking capabilities.

UPS: provides delivery and logistics services, including express delivery of documents and parcels, as well as freight transport.

FedEx: specializes in express delivery of documents and parcels with tracking capabilities.

Local Courier Services

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Parcel Direct Ireland: Founded in 2014, provides courier services for individuals and small businesses throughout Ireland; offers e-commerce solutions and has a network of over 200 drop-off and pick-up points for parcels.

Fastway Couriers: Offers delivery services for businesses and private customers with a focus on affordability and reliability.

DPD Ireland: Provides parcel delivery services in and outside of Ireland with tracking capabilities.

In Ireland, telecom services, including television, internet, and telephone services, are provided by both large international and local companies.

Main providers

Eir: Ireland's largest telecommunications operator, offering fixed and mobile communication services, broadband internet and television. 

Virgin Media Ireland: Provides digital cable television, high-speed broadband internet, and telephone services. 

Sky Ireland: Offering satellite television, broadband internet, and telephone services. 

Vodafone Ireland: An international operator providing mobile communication, broadband internet, and television via internet protocol. 

Package deals

Many providers offer bundled service packages that include television, internet, and telephone services. Such packages often provide discounts and additional benefits for customers.

Mobile communication

The main mobile communication operators in Ireland include Vodafone, Three, Eir, and the recently launched Sky Mobile. They offer a variety of tariff plans, including pre-paid and post-paid options with various data and minute packages.

Service availability

In large cities and suburbs, there is a wide choice of providers and services available. In rural and remote areas, the choice may be limited, and internet speed may be lower.

Food delivery

Just Eat: The largest food ordering platform in Ireland; connects many restaurants and kitchens. 

Deliveroo: An international food delivery service actively operating in major cities across Ireland; offers delivery of meals from restaurants and cafes, as well as groceries from supermarkets. 

Uber Eats: An international player in the food delivery market; provides services in major cities in Ireland; allows ordering of meals from various restaurants with fast delivery.

Grocery and goods delivery

Tesco Ireland: The largest retail network; offers online ordering of groceries and household goods with home delivery; the service is available in most regions of the country.

SuperValu: An Irish supermarket chain providing online ordering and delivery services for groceries; places special emphasis on local and organic products.

Dunnes Stores: Offers an online platform for ordering groceries, clothing, and home goods with delivery or pick-up.

In Ireland, the opening hours of stores and services can vary depending on their type, location, and the day of the week.

Supermarkets and grocery stores

Monday – Saturday: Usually open from 9:00 to 18:00. Some large supermarkets are open until 21:00 or even 24 hours.

Sunday: Many supermarkets are open from 12:00 to 18:00.

Shopping centers and department stores

Monday – Wednesday, Saturday: Usually operate from 9:00 to 18:00.

Thursday – Friday: Many stores extend their hours until 21:00 or 22:00.

Sunday: Usually open from 12:00 to 18:00.

Banks

Monday – Friday: Operate from 10:00 to 16:00. On Thursdays, some branches may be open until 17:00.

Post offices

Monday – Friday: Usually open from 9:00 to 17:30.

Saturday: Operate from 9:00 to 13:00.

Restaurants and cafes

Monday – Sunday: Opening hours vary, but most are open from 12:00 to 22:00. Some establishments may be open till late at night, especially in major cities.

Pubs

Monday – Thursday: Usually open from 10:30 to 23:30.

Friday – Saturday: From 10:30 to 00:30.

Sunday: From 12:30 to 23:00.

It should be noted that in rural and small settlements, opening hours may be shorter, and some stores and services may close for lunch breaks. It is recommended to check the specific opening hours of establishments in advance, especially on holidays, when the schedule may change.

Local Irish Brands

Guinness: Famous Irish stout brewed since 1759. A symbol of Irish brewing tradition.

Jameson: One of the most well-known Irish whiskeys, produced since 1780. Exported to over 130 countries worldwide.

Dunnes Stores: Irish department store chain offering clothing, food, and home goods. Founded in 1944 and has over 130 stores across the country.

SuperValu: A major Irish supermarket chain with more than 220 stores. Known for its focus on local products and support for Irish producers.

Brown Thomas: A luxury department store offering designer clothing, accessories, and cosmetics. Has stores in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick.

International Brands

Tesco: British supermarket chain widely represented in Ireland with over 150 stores.

IKEA: Swedish furniture and home goods retailer, with a large store in Dublin.

H&M: Swedish clothing store chain, present in major cities in Ireland.

Zara: Spanish fashion clothing brand with stores in Dublin and other cities.

Apple: American tech company with an official store in Dublin and represented in retail networks.

Thus, Ireland combines a rich heritage of local brands with a broad presence of international companies, providing a variety of goods and services for consumers.

Understanding local shopping etiquette and culture in Ireland helps immigrants and tourists feel confident and comfortable when shopping.

Friendliness and Politeness

Irish people are known for their friendliness and sociability. When entering a store or addressing a salesperson, it is customary to greet and smile. Polite communication contributes to a pleasant shopping experience.

Queues

Queues in Ireland are organized and strictly adhered to. It's important to join the queue and wait your turn, whether in a supermarket, bank, or at a bus stop.

Payment

Bank cards, especially Visa and Mastercard, are widely accepted in Ireland; it is recommended to carry cash for small shops and markets.

VAT and Tax-Free

The standard VAT rate in Ireland is 23%. Tourists from non-EU countries can use the Tax-Free system to reclaim part of the VAT when exporting goods. You need to request a special receipt from the seller and present it upon leaving the country.

Bags and Environment

In Ireland, a tax on plastic bags has been introduced, so they are provided for an additional fee. Many shoppers bring reusable bags, supporting environmental initiatives.

Customer Service

Staff in shops are usually ready to help and provide advice. If you have questions or can't find the item you need, don't hesitate to ask for assistance.

Winter Sales

Start: Immediately after Christmas, usually December 26th, known as Boxing Day.

Duration: From two to four weeks, sometimes longer, depending on the store.

Features: During this period, you can buy clothing, footwear, electronics, and other items at discounts of up to 50–70%. Many stores open earlier than usual to attract shoppers.

Summer Sales

Start: In mid-June or early July.

Duration: About a month, sometimes longer.

Features: Discounts apply to summer collections of clothing, footwear, and accessories. The size of the discounts gradually increases as the sale period nears its end.

Additional Discount Periods

"Black Friday": The last Friday of November. Although traditionally an American sale, it has become popular in Ireland in recent years. Many stores offer significant discounts on this day.

Interseasonal Sales: Some stores conduct additional sales between the main seasons, offering discounts on selected items.

In Ireland, the waste disposal and recycling system is organized with a focus on separation, recycling, and minimization of waste landfilling. The main aspects of this system include:

Waste Separation

Residents of Ireland are required to sort household waste into the following categories:

- Gray or black container: for non-recyclable waste, which is sent for landfill or incineration.

- Green container: for recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal.

- Brown container: for organic waste, including food scraps and garden waste, which is composted or processed into biogas.

Sorting waste is mandatory, and non-compliance may lead to refusal of waste collection or fines. For instance, in County Mayo, the use of brown containers for food waste is mandatory in settlements with a population of over 500 people.

Improper sorting of household waste can lead to various consequences, including refusal of waste collection and fines. If a waste container contains unsorted or incorrectly sorted waste, the waste collection company may refuse to empty it. In some cases, repeat violations may result in fines, which vary depending on local regulations and legislation. While specific fines in Ireland may differ, it is important to adhere to the waste separation rules to avoid possible penalties and to promote effective waste recycling.

Waste Collection and Disposal

Waste collection and disposal services are provided by both public and private companies. Residents enter into contracts with chosen service providers, paying them regularly. The collection schedule depends on the region and provider, with different waste categories usually collected on different days of the week.

Recycling Centers and Waste Acceptance Facilities

Ireland has recycling centers and waste acceptance facilities where residents can drop off bulky items, electronics, batteries, and other specific waste, either for free or for a small fee.

Thus, the waste disposal and recycling system in Ireland aims at sustainable resource management, minimizing negative environmental impact, and actively involving citizens in the process of waste separation and recycling.