Did You Know?... SuperValu & AsIAm has announced the launch of a learning resource toolkit, developed with Mary Immaculate College, Dublin. The Bridge Back to School - An Autism-Friendly Learning Resource for Summer 2020 learning resource has been developed to help those with high support needs prepare during the summer months to return to school in September, the retailer said. 20,000 of the resource booklets will be distributed to SuperValu stores nationwide and be available to pick up from Monday, 6 July across its store network."SuperValu recognises the challenges for families as they prepare for the return to school and hope that this useful and practical learning resource will be an essential support for them over the coming months," said Martin Kelleher, managing director, SuperValu.
Did You Know?... Packaging firm DS Smith has reported a 5% rise in annual profit, bolstered by growing demand from e-commerce and consumer goods customers, but the company said it was too early to resume dividends in the short-term due to the pandemic, reports Reuters. “We have made good strategic and financial progress in the year, with the disposal of our Plastics division reinforcing our focus on sustainable fibre-based packaging and our strong commercial focus driving record margin," commented Miles Roberts, DS Smith's chief executive.
Did You Know?... UK retailer Marks & Spencer has announced plans to relaunch Sparks as a digital-first loyalty scheme that will offer instant rewards to customers.The new version will see the scheme dish out instant rewards, a wider selection of charities to support and more personalised offers.Chief digital and data officer at Marks & Spencer, Jeremy Pee, said, “We’ve injected a new sense of excitement and value and made the features they love even better, while stripping out the points and tiers system they found confusing.
Did You Know?... The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has released details of a new report that states that up to 22,500 jobs are at risk in the Irish drinks and hospitality industries. The newly-published report, which was commissioned by the VFI, the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and Drinks Ireland and authored by DCU economist Anthony Foley, states, "Even if pubs regain half their normal capacity by the end of 2020, which is an optimistic scenario, as many as 22,500 jobs could be permanently lost, not to mention countless more in supporting trades like catering, security, and entertainment."
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