Shopping in the North - Unpatriotic or what?

Lplated

This week the Lord Mayor of Dublin called on people to exercise 'civic patriotism' and not go North for the 30-40% savings to be had up there.

On TV3 Crunch time programme on Tuesday, Tanaiste Mary Coughlan called on people to be patriotic and keep their money at home.

Given that even the National Consumer Agency has officially said that savings in the North are in the 30 to 40% range - what do you think?

Should we stay in the Republic and pay the extra as a kind of 'voluntary' tax, or should we vote with our feet and go where ever we can shop for cheaper.

Do-more

Are we not all Europeans these days?

KTRIC

F*ck her and her big gold chain. People can shop where they want.

AlanD

yeah shop where you want.

FredH3as

No bargain here then eh :rolleyes:

Basq

VAT increases.. cost of living increasing per day.. recessionary times and all that. We have every right to save money that we're losing elsewhere.

One of the funniest quotes I've read this week:

"People will have to see that there is much better value in the Republic of Ireland"
: Brian Cowen

If he finds it, can he let me know where?!

PS - not a Bargain Alert.. will move to 'Rip Off Ireland'. Never a more apt forum!

Drummerboy2

For many years now the well-heeled in our society have being hopping on planes and heading to New York for shopping trips and not a word about it. Now the ordinary hard pressed consumers have decided to do the same and head up the road for some well deserved bargains. Now the powers that be are complaining about the plebs daring to reject the rip off republic.

UsedtobePC

I would ask the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Mary Coughlan where they intend to do their Xmas shopping and by the same token I'd ask them to "buy Irish" only to support the national economy, that is buy only from Irish retailers, Irish products manufactured in Ireland. See what they say about it.

What do you mean it only applies to US and not to THEM?

Bill-e

Has the Vat dropped in the uk yet?
I think this vat changing business is a joke. It's never a good idea to mess with vat. Retailers in the UK are going to have to spend a fortune to re print all their collateral and marketing stuff. Either that or they could choose not to pass on the vat saving to the customer...
With us here in Ireland it's defo not worth it to remarket the prices for a bit of a percentage. So effectively the retailer here will be the one who pays this increase. I think it's madness.
Also a lot of accounting/retail systems have fixed vat variables, especially in the UK cause the vat there hasn't changed in like 38 yrs... It'll call for many software update packages and hassle imo.

paulusdu

we already got stung for an extra 1% tax, another .5% on VAT, our Energy bills jumping like crazy, medical insurance going up, and our take home pay going down.
Mary Harney told us a few years ago to shop around when we complained of being ripped off, and thats what people are doing. If the big shops down here will not offer us the same prices as the ones in Northern Ireland, then tough. We have families to look after, we have bills to pay, the governament is taking more and more from us, so we need to do something in resoponse.
This is voting with our feet.

I'll shop where ever I want, don't see the government saying it's unpatriotic when jobs here are given to cheaper paid foreign nationals :rolleyes:

jayo27

To hell with them all. What we spend is our money and no one has the right to dictate where we should spend it. My Argos list costs €200 less in the North (6 items) than down here so why should'nt I go 50 mile up the road to get the identical items from the same retailer for €200 less. Its a no brainer! While I'm up there I'll also hop into ASDA for the Christmas goodies.

snubbleste

Are FF not in favour of a 32 county Ireland?
Then they turn around and say it's unpatriotic to shop in the North?

Mr Donaldson also challenged Fianna Fáil's nationalist credentials.
“It is interesting that the Irish Government supports a united Ireland, but when it comes to patriotism, that only extends to the 26 counties of the Republic,” said Mr Donaldson... He also questioned why the Government in Dublin should brand spending money in one part of the island unpatriotic. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1127/breaking54.html

smashey

The retailers who rip us off aren't being very patriotic.

joeali101

They Let Aer Lingus move their Shannon base to Belfast without batting an eyelid,and now they're calling us unpatriotic for trying to save a few quid on our Christmas shopping,by going up north.

DonJose

basquille wrote: »

One of the funniest quotes I've read this week:

"People will have to see that there is much better value in the Republic of Ireland"
: Brian Cowen

LOL here is the actual press conference...*



*No Iraqi's were hurt in this photoshopping.

slinky2000

fack them, Whent he big shops offer the same prices as those inth e north I'll stay here

I'm in Belfast this weekend for work and lets just say I'm loading up before I go back to limerick!

jim o doom

Ask not what you country can do for you (which is nothing, like they have been doing for OH so long), ask what you can do; for your country (even less, by actively spending my money outside of this sh*tehole )

greatgoal

unpatriotic my arse,its our so called patriots in government that are forcing us to do so in the first place,so f**k em.:mad:

brianthebard

Is the country that bad that the govt have to resort to patriotism as a fiscal stimulant? FFS

dardevle

[. My Argos list costs €200 less in the North (6 items) than down here so why should'nt I go 50 mile up the road to get the identical items from the same retailer for €200 less.]



i don't have a problem with shopping around.
what i do have a problem with is people travelling
north and purchasing from the same chainstores
that are ripping us off down here!!

grahamo

UNPATRIOTIC MY ARSE!
I've always worked and paid my taxes even through the tough times in the 80's when I was a teenager and in return for working for peanuts I'm told by then Taoiseach Haughey that I'm living beyond my means. Somebody tell me the govt. are joking! The govt. can kiss my a*se. I'll spend MY money where I want to spend it.

poindexter

i shall be heading north at the weekend and look forward to splashing out and in turn saving a few quid. would Newry be best or should i aim for Belfast??

The_Conductor

poindexter wrote: »

i shall be heading north at the weekend and look forward to splashing out and in turn saving a few quid. would Newry be best or should i aim for Belfast??

You won't get parking in Newry- but everywhere is going to packed jammers one way or the other. Personally I'd suggest Sprucefield at Lisburn- straight up the A1 (you can't get lost)......?

smashey

And with all this talk of being patriotic and getting ripped off, the good old VHI stick 23% on to their premiums.

Facepalm is the only reaction I'm capable off here.

poindexter

Marks & Spencers, McDonald's, JJB, MFI and Mamas & Papas. are these the only shops in Sprucefield??

Zonda999

I honestly think this will sort itself out. The Irish shops HAVE to lower their prices, and keep them low until the sterling picks up against the euro. For rthe sake of a small amount i would still buy down south, but on a big purchase, you really have to go North

The_Conductor

poindexter wrote: »

Marks & Spencers, McDonald's, JJB, MFI and Mamas & Papas. are these the only shops in Sprucefield??

There are quite a few more- thats an old list. There is the largest Sainsbury's in Northern Ireland, Toys'r'us, PC World and lots lots more.......

poindexter

smccarrick wrote: »

There are quite a few more- thats an old list. There is the largest Sainsbury's in Northern Ireland, Toys'r'us, PC World and lots lots more.......

cheers man

Hookey

Appealing to patriotism, the last refuge of the political scoundrel. Seems "being at the heart of Europe" is a one-way street as far as Irish governments are concerned...

slinky2000

poindexter wrote: »

i shall be heading north at the weekend and look forward to splashing out and in turn saving a few quid. would Newry be best or should i aim for Belfast??

really depends what ur lookin mate. just general shopping, head to newry, specialist stuff head to lisburn/belfast. don't forget the outlet in bendbridge, rushmere shopping in craigavon etc

RiverWilde

Unpatriotic my arse! We're all Irish! Southern Irish or British Irish. We all need to live and eat. It's all well and good saying support the shops down here; however, when we see the establishment obviously creaming it why the hell should we just bend over?

Zonda999

Zonda999 wrote: »

I honestly think this will sort itself out. The Irish shops HAVE to lower their prices, and keep them low until the sterling picks up against the euro.

To be honest with you I can't see it happening, I'm of the opinion that businesses here in the south are that greedy and stupid that they would rather go out of business than give us a bargin.

It's a joke what is happening here in the Republic (a united Ireland my arse), in my local Dunnes the other day and they have black marked out the sterling prices on their clothes. The difference in prices between Dunnes, Argos, Currys etc ... north and south is a joke.
I can buy Guinness cheaper up the north and it's made here in the south, I can buy a Dell PC (VAT or no VAT) cheaper in the north and they get them built and shipped up to them from Limerick, where's the logic and justification in that
So much for us being an EU country, don't even get me started about VRT :mad:

The government are really not doing themselves any favours, and I think people are that fed up with them that sooner rather than later we are going to start seeing a lot more protests. The sooner an election comes the better.

Colonel Sanders

I will shop where evr I get the best value. If thats 50 miles up the M1 then so be it

Unpatriotic? F*ck that. It was unpatriotic of Fianna Failure to sell the country to the highest bidder and let inflation get out of hand during the boom years.

MacBuster

I am all for people saving money as they government are pure scum and as the retailers here.

I live in Dundalk and shop regularly in the North but the situation is crazy now as the cheaper prices are attracting every bit of scum from Ireland and blocking the motorway...Currently there are 15KM tailbacks from south to north.

I go the local way and avoid all that but the greed is crazy, as because these people are not up to buy food or necessities but drink on a wholesale level, I walked around Sainsburies about an hour ago and every trolley was stacked with booze it was disgusting to look at, every knacker in a tracksuit from laois to dublin was grabbing booze like it was going out off fashion.

I don't mind high taxation down here on booze as it might save a few lives but apart from that it is a rip off...

My mate has to regularly bring his sick toddler to a certain hospital in belfast and these morons are blocking a major route because they want to fill their gullets with booze it is actually quite sick what people will do for drink..:mad:

efb

If only JJB had an offie, all scobs needs under one roof

MacBuster

efb wrote: »

If only JJB had an offie, all scobs needs under one roof

LOL

A Dub in Glasgo

MacBuster wrote: »

I am all for people saving money as they government are pure scum and as the retailers here.

I live in Dundalk and shop regularly in the North but the situation is crazy now as the cheaper prices are attracting every bit of scum from Ireland and blocking the motorway...Currently there are 15KM tailbacks from south to north.

I go the local way and avoid all that but the greed is crazy, as because these people are not up to buy food or necessities but drink on a wholesale level, I walked around Sainsburies about an hour ago and every trolley was stacked with booze it was disgusting to look at, every knacker in a tracksuit from laois to dublin was grabbing booze like it was going out off fashion.

I don't mind high taxation down here on booze as it might save a few lives but apart from that it is a rip off...

My mate has to regularly bring his sick toddler to a certain hospital in belfast and these morons are blocking a major route because they want to fill their gullets with booze it is actually quite sick what people will do for drink..:mad:

Please, who will think of the children!! Get a grip on yourself

Scottie99

Didn't the Government some months ago tell us to shop around and get the best value. I have......................in the North!:D

Our man in Havana

MacBuster wrote: »

I am all for people saving money as they government are pure scum and as the retailers here.

I live in Dundalk and shop regularly in the North but the situation is crazy now as the cheaper prices are attracting every bit of scum from Ireland and blocking the motorway...Currently there are 15KM tailbacks from south to north.

I go the local way and avoid all that but the greed is crazy, as because these people are not up to buy food or necessities but drink on a wholesale level, I walked around Sainsburies about an hour ago and every trolley was stacked with booze it was disgusting to look at, every knacker in a tracksuit from laois to dublin was grabbing booze like it was going out off fashion.

I don't mind high taxation down here on booze as it might save a few lives but apart from that it is a rip off...

My mate has to regularly bring his sick toddler to a certain hospital in belfast and these morons are blocking a major route because they want to fill their gullets with booze it is actually quite sick what people will do for drink..:mad:

Cop yourself on and less of the insults. I am offended by your comments on Laois people.

BendiBus

What's patriotic about

• choosing the South in preference to the North
• Supporting price gouging retailers
• Shopping in Argos/Currys/any other British store south of the border

It's utter nonsense to suggest crossing the border to save money is in any way unpatriotic.

RobBrn

Un-Patriotic?
What a load of rubbish.

First of all we are in a EU Single Market.

Before the Single Market we were prohibited by the Government from bringing any amount goods with a total value of more than £12 (about €14.50), unless we were outside the state for more than 48 hours, which virtually eliminated cross border shopping.
In the words of the then Minister of Finance, Ray McSharry "we cannot tolerate" this cross border shopping.
The Single market ended that particular type of repression
So now the Government can't pull that stunt again.
But we have the likes of Mary Coughlan with her huge salary and massive expenses telling us we are un-patriotic if we buy were we get the best value and most for our families and of course, what the real concern of the Minister and the Cabinet is "do the Government out of their VAT"

I say, "to hell with them" and in nearly the words of the song
"GO NORTH WHERE THE GOODS ARE CHEAP”"

Latchy

Do-more wrote: »

Are we not all Europeans these days?

Indeed ,while i can understand keeping money in the irish ecomomy to keep it ticking over, in most case people will put a bargin before patriotisim .We are in europe and capitalism and patritriotism dont mix .

dubscribe

I've just taken the survey, as I'm sure many of you have as well.

94% of us will shop up North or wherever we find a bargain and right now that's up North.

I wish the politicans would check out these surveys.

This is the "wo(man) on the street" talking to you guys/gals - WHEN are you going to listen to us?????????????? :mad:

The_Conductor

Bond-007 wrote: »

Cop yourself on and less of the insults. I am offended by your comments on Laois people.

With all due respect- Laois wasn't the only county he picked on in his post. While I disagree with the way he phrased it- he does have a point. Ordinary people who just want to do a bit of grocery shopping, visit the Armagh Planaterium, Portaferry or where-ever, are being mobbed by fools with hundreds of litres of booze.

If you want to go grocery shopping- take a day off work- pick a weekday- get there by 10-11AM and out again by 2PM- and you'll be fine.

While I disagree with his posting style- he most certainly does have a valid point.

A Dub in Glasgo

smccarrick wrote: »

With all due respect- Laois wasn't the only county he picked on in his post. While I disagree with the way he phrased it- he does have a point. Ordinary people who just want to do a bit of grocery shopping, visit the Armagh Planaterium, Portaferry or where-ever, are being mobbed by fools with hundreds of litres of booze.

If you want to go grocery shopping- take a day off work- pick a weekday- get there by 10-11AM and out again by 2PM- and you'll be fine.

While I disagree with his posting style- he most certainly does have a valid point.

The valid point being? It is OK for 'me' to go and get some bargains but no way is it OK for the unwashed hordes??

RobBrn

smccarrick wrote: »

While I disagree with his posting style- he most certainly does have a valid point.

No he doesn''t
He lives in Dundalk.
Dundalk people were not included in the "48 hour rule" restriction on shopping in the 80's.
Dundalk people have always gone shopping in the North when it suited their wallets.
It's not that many years ago that every petrol station between Dundalk and the Border was closed because they all bought their petrol in the North
Shopping in the North is not the the exclusive right of people from Dundalk.
Time to WAKE UP

RobBrn

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

The valid point being? It is OK for 'me' to go and get some bargains but no way is it OK for the unwashed hordes??

You got it nearly right

It's OK for Dundalk people to go and get some bargains but no way is it OK for anyone else

gingernut79

I dont see the government turning away people from the North who come down here to fill up their cars

The_Conductor

gingernut79 wrote: »

I dont see the government turning away people from the North who come down here to fill up their cars

Most filling stations within a 20 mile of the border are almost exclusively customed by yellow plate regs at the moment.......

The whole idea of the EU, and indeed EFTA- was/is closer integration between the disparate countries. This was to have been both economically but also politically. Thats why we are all free to go to Newry, or Le Havre or where-ever and buy whatever we like (providing we can prove its for personal consumption).

I would like to see those filling their Ford Transits with crates of booze trying to say they are purely for personal consumption- very obviously they are not.

I'm not a teetotaller by any means- but it is ridiculous seeing a family with 12 trolleys full of beer- no other shopping whatsoever, and then blocking the exit to the carpark for 20 minutes while they try to figure how to fit them into the van.......

Of course the government is to blame for the vast differences in prices between the two jurisdictions- and its entirely understandable that any sane person will do their utmost to make the most of their cash, sometimes you do have to wonder whether you have a moral duty to help those who appear to be incapable of helping themselves though?

Re: the queues on the A1 before Newry- the blasting just after Ravensdale, along with that fecking ridiculous roundabout at Jonesborough is more to blame than anything else.......?

meathstevie

Has anyone even realised that by shopping in the North you drive down the profits and turnover of retail companies in the South, the same companies that are giving you bargains up North and fleece you down South ! Eventually it's going to amount to a massive amount of egg on the face of the management and the government. Result : price equalisation and mission accomplished.