Three local Spar stores honoured in retail excellence

THREE Spar stores in Carlow have been recognised for their exceptional retail standards at the Spar 365 Standards Customer Care Programme awards ceremony. The awards event, held at the Killashee Hotel in Naas, was hosted by BWG Foods, the owners and operators of the Spar brand in Ireland. The ceremony celebrated retailers who demonstrated outstanding performance across all aspects of their store operations throughout the year.

The winning Carlow stores were: Cantillon’s Spar in Graiguecullen, operated by Shane Cantillon; Spar Inver in Muine Bheag; and Callan Co-Op’s Spar Tullow.

The awards programme, conducted in partnership with independent assessment bodies Solution Management Associates (SMA) and Lloyds Register Quality Assurance LRQA, evaluates stores across multiple criteria. Winners underwent rigorous independent assessments covering customer service standards through SMA, as well as comprehensive food safety and hygiene audits conducted by LRQA.

The awards recognise retailers who have implemented best practice store standards throughout their operations, ensuring excellent customer experiences for their local communities.

Colin Donnelly, Spar sales director, praised the winners at the ceremony: “We are incredibly proud of all our Spar retailers and the wonderful service they provide to their communities and customers throughout Ireland. To be able to celebrate these wonderful ambassadors who bring the Spar brand to life every day is a great source of pride for us.

“I congratulate all the Spar winners from Carlow. Their efforts have been truly outstanding, and this recognition is very well deserved.”