Shopping in Northern Ireland?

[sligoman]

Lots of talk about it lately. What do you think? Living near the border, I personally have been going there for the past year or so, it's well worth it. Fair enough it doesn't do the Irish economy any good but looking after number one is the main thing and the savings that can be made there are massive.

What's your opinion on it?

[superfrank]

Yeah, if it's cheaper, why not?

My sister lived in Aberdeen for years and going over there was brilliant for shopping because the exchange rate was fixed at an old rate. Basically, the fixed rate would be at 67p to a euro but at the time the real rate was more like 80p to a euro. It was great. Everything over there was ridiculously cheaper, CD's being the major one.

My sister moved to Manchester now, which, afaik, is a much more expensive part of the UK.

[holidaysong]

Did my undergrad dissertation on this topic last year..

[Magicme]

I live near the border (I bet you are shocked to learn Monaghan is near the border!!) and while I do my day to day shopping in Monaghan, if I am looking for clothes, electronics or alcohol I often head up to Enniskillen, Newry or Craigavon.

As I have family in Enniskillen and go to the Dentist up there I will usually pop into Asda or Tesco or Marks and Spencers there and have a mooch around and get some bargins.

Asda have a great 3 bottles of wine for £10 deal and they are not bad wines, Bannock Station or Lindemans have been the ones I have gotten lately. Things like a bottle of Malibu for £12 is great too and will defo be going over to stock up for Christmas.

[sligoman]

Tesco were selling 8pint bottles of Bulmers for £7.99 the last time I was in Enniskillen, that's a crazy saving compared to here. Carlsberg, Becks, Jameson, Smirnoff are all on discounts...basically every drink there is way cheaper. There's such a bigger selection of stuff available there than there is here too, and not just alcohol.

The mayor of Dublin was on TV earlier and tried to claim whiskey is cheaper in Dublin than it is up north...maybe she means the cheapest whiskey here compared to the most expensive one up North, if not, she hasn't a clue!

[Jock MIB]

Well now the UK VAT now going to 15% and the Irish being proposed to increase, i feel the Irish Economy is in for a really bad time, Irish Goverment have to major rethink about increasing VAT i more be of the thinking of reducing it to 19% to help the Irish Economy

As a seller in ireland its meaning i have to increase the prices next year with higher VAT to my customers who are now looking for value for money and keeping my business healthy isn't going to happen... i am fully aware its dig my feet in time and hope i ride the slump and come out the other end still in business

All i can say if i was on the border with Northern Ireland in my line of business it would be impossible to be competitive with UK prices so would expect to close business

But i am also scottish , so if there is somewhere to go that is cheaper then go for it i say

[crc]

Option 2: "No-keep the money in Ireland"

Excuse me???!!!

Last time I looked Newry, Derry, Enniskillen, Belfast, etc. were all in Ireland. Is it patriotic to divide your country in two?

On the issue of economic protectionism, its a false economy to restrict your purchasing to local sources only. There's a reason Japan makes loads of cars and Ireland doesn't - they're much better at it. Ireland is better at other things. On a macro level, cross-border shopping and competition grows economies.

[sligoman]

Excuse me???!!!

Last time I looked Newry, Derry, Enniskillen, Belfast, etc. were all in Ireland. Is it patriotic to divide your country in two?

You know well I'm talking in terms of economy(the other is debateable). Whether we like it or not, shopping in the North contributes to the UK's economy.

[ifk101]

There's a reason Japan makes loads of cars and Ireland doesn't - they're much better at it. Ireland is better at other things.

Transportation costs is another but that's going off-topic.


Ideally you should support your local community - football team, small businesses etc, etc. But with money tight, consumers are all the more attracted by low prices and perhaps travel across the border is more out of necessity than choice. But then again if you are going across the border for cheap booze .....

[carrickharp]

Went to Derry and Strabane last week to get most of the Christmas shopping and called to Letterkenny on the way back and it is shocking the diffrence in prices between north and south and there was some amout of southren reg cars in both the Northen towns.

We were getting ripped off for long enough in the in the south so it is hard to feel sorry for many of them!!

[brendy_éire]

Shopping in the north doesn't necessarily mean that the Irish economy has to lose out all that much. Shop in a Irish supermarket (Dunnes, Supervalu, etc) and buy Irish products. Shopping at the English chains such as Tesco and Sainsbury's makes it more difficult to buy Irish stuff though, except for alcohol, of which there's tons.
Admittedly the VAT will go to the Brits, but Ireland will get the profits from the product itself.

Personally, I usually shop in Dunnes and try and buy Irish. Irish things are usually nicer anyway, especially tea and yogurts.

[pete]

It was always likely that prices differences across the border would increase. Both economies have very different economic policies.

- VAT rates
- Minimum wages
- Property costs Rent etc...
- More competition in UK & NI

The only thing lower in the south is Corporation taxes on profits. I think the current exchange rate has a much bigger impact than VAT rates.

If Irish government was to reduce VAT by say 2% I am not convinced it would it really make much difference. Lack of competition in many areas of ROI would means some reductions not passed on. Would have to raise tax from somewhere else anyway.

[Dodge]

About 6/7 months ago we (the Dodge family) did a weekly shop in newry. We didn't save anything at all when fuel was factored in.

[brendy_éire]

About 6/7 months ago we (the Dodge family) did a weekly shop in newry. We didn't save anything at all when fuel was factored in.

But the exchange rate is now a lot different, 84p=€1 atm. The rate briefly even reached 89p last week.
I remember the good old days (last year) when it was 63p.
Plus, fuel is cheaper.

Pete, fuel is also cheaper in the south and has been for many years (a petrol station, beside Derry, in Bridgend in Donegal (pop. 200 at most) was the busiest in Europe for ages.)
The point of the changing VAT rate is a good one. A VAT changed of 2.5% is minimal in comparison with a rate change of 53%.

[paul_oshea]

Yeah, if it's cheaper, why not?

My sister lived in Aberdeen for years and going over there was brilliant for shopping because the exchange rate was fixed at an old rate. Basically, the fixed rate would be at 67p to a euro but at the time the real rate was more like 80p to a euro. It was great. Everything over there was ridiculously cheaper, CD's being the major one.

My sister moved to Manchester now, which, afaik, is a much more expensive part of the UK.

Basically, your sister was paying way more if its a fixed rate of 67p!!! They weren't doing you any favours.....

About 6/7 months ago we (the Dodge family) did a weekly shop in newry. We didn't save anything at all when fuel was factored in.

Ya where were you travelling from and when i.e. time

But the exchange rate is now a lot different, 84p=€1 atm. The rate briefly even reached 89p last week.
I remember the good old days (last year) when it was 63p.
Plus, fuel is cheaper.

Pete, fuel is also cheaper in the south and has been for many years (a petrol station, beside Derry, in Bridgend in Donegal (pop. 200 at most) was the busiest in Europe for ages.)
The point of the changing VAT rate is a good one. A VAT changed of 2.5% is minimal in comparison with a rate change of 53%.

Those rates are unrealistic, in terms of what you the consumer would actually get(unless in CM or something like that) never could you or I get 63p worth of Euros, and never could a consumer get 89pennies worth of 1 euro. THe best I ever did was about .69 when worked out and that was when you could get nearly $2 for every £.

[Jock MIB]

It was always likely that prices differences across the border would increase. Both economies have very different economic policies.

- VAT rates
- Minimum wages
- Property costs Rent etc...
- More competition in UK & NI

The only thing lower in the south is Corporation taxes on profits. I think the current exchange rate has a much bigger impact than VAT rates.

If Irish government was to reduce VAT by say 2% I am not convinced it would it really make much difference. Lack of competition in many areas of ROI would means some reductions not passed on. Would have to raise tax from somewhere else anyway.

It has to make some difference as as a seller i can keep prices reasonable to the UK market allowing me to entice customers to spend at my shop but if they raise the VAT then i have to raise my prices which means i can't compete with UK Market losing customers losing money , closing down another couple of people unemployed.

[Macy]

If you're spending money in the multiples it makes little difference. If you're buying in the local butchers, grocer's etc then there is an argument, but I wouldn't buy supermarket meat anyway. I wouldn't bother from where I live - just too much time out of my personal time regardless of savings.

We'd normally buy a lot of stuff when we're in Manch, and when I was younger we used to head up to Enniskillen regularly enough to get shopping, and my relations in Longford still would (and not just in the last couple of months).

The likes of IBEC and their subsidaries couldn't give a toss about tax revenue or jobs, it's about maintaining profits and keeping the cats fat.

[superfrank]

They weren't doing you any favours.....

Prices in the airport had a fixed rate. Say something was £2 in the airport, they'd have it priced as €3 if you paid in euros.

But the real exchange rate meant that £2 actually cost you €2.50. You see? 50c saving there alone.

[SMorgan]

What do contributors think of the notion that people crossing the border to shop in Newry, Enniskillen or Derry are being unpatriotic? My first reaction is to say nonsense, what’s unpatriotic about wanting to feed the family or give the children a good Christmas.

However, when you really sit down and analyses the situation. Cross-border is doing tremendous damage to the Southern economy with the loss of tax revenue and jobs. Is it not right to suggest that people make sacrifices for the good of the Nation. It’s a haemorrhage that the Republic just can’t afford.

[bennocelt]

What do contributors think of the notion that people crossing the border to shop in Newry, Enniskillen or Derry are being unpatriotic? My first reaction is to say nonsense, what’s unpatriotic about wanting to feed the family or give the children a good Christmas.

However, when you really sit down and analyses the situation. Cross-border is doing tremendous damage to the Southern economy with the loss of tax revenue and jobs. Is it not right to suggest that people make sacrifices for the good of the Nation. It’s a haemorrhage that the Republic just can’t afford.

hahaha thats funny - are you a politician