• As in previous years, the RRAI has continued to implement and monitor its Code of Practice, primarily through the annual independent audit of compliance, and the continued operation of the RRAI’s complaint-mechanisms, particularly the RRAI’s telephone hotline. The number of upheld complaints regarding breaches of the RRAI Code has fallen sharply over the past twelve months when compared to previous years. In the great majority of complaints brought to my attention, the Members immediately rectify the cause of the complaint, which is generally a one-off inadvertent breach at store-level. The RRAI Board remain ready to apply the RRAI’s sanctions-policy (see Annex 4) in case of persistent noncompliance by any Member.

• One of the most visible manifestations of the Code-restraints is the rule on newspaper-advertisements for Members, whereby a maximum of 25% of the core advertising-space can be allocated to alcohol-products within any single advertisement. There is now almost universal compliance by RRAI-Members with this restriction.

• The RRAI has continued to seek to engage with independent mixed traders who are not Members, with a view to such retailers joining the RRAI and/or complying with the RRAI Code of Practice, in the interests of adhering to good practice in the display, advertising and promotion of alcohol-products. In addition, in September 2013, in the interests of upholding good practice in the entire mixed trading sector, the RRAI Board issued a notice of objection to the renewal of the liquor licences attaching to a non-affiliated mixed trading store.

• The anchor-point of the RRAI Code compliance-mechanism is the annual independent national audit carried out by a professional retail-audit company. Due to the increase in the number of Member-stores, the annual audit covered 400 stores in 2013, compared to 361 stores in 2012.

• The results of this year’s annual independent audit of compliance (as set out in Part 4 of this report) show an overall compliance-rate of 83.50%. Although this is lower than in previous years, it remains a high level of compliance and I consider it to be acceptable. The multiple-supermarket sector had a compliance-rate of 95.08%, and the convenience-store sector compliance-rate was 73.73%.

• There are three core questions in the audit regarding the in-store physical display of alcohol-products. In this year’s audit, the overall compliance-rate for each of these three questions ranged from 95.25% to 99.50%.

• The most prominent reasons why stores failed the 2013 annual audit relate to in-store Code documentation, namely not properly displaying the A3 Code-poster, and being unable to produce a copy of the in-store briefing document for staff-members. I have requested that Members place a renewed focus on ensuring that these documentation-issues are resolved.

• The RRAI has continued its detailed discussions with Mr. Alan Shatter T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality, and his Departmental officials. The RRAI has re-iterated its firm support for the introduction of a strengthened RRAI Code of Practice on a statutory footing under Section 17 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, and awaits a Government-decision in this regard.