logo
Confused shopper tries to enter Lidl on Fair City set

Confused shopper tries to enter Lidl on Fair City set

Extra.ie​21-07-2025
In a case of life imitating art a little too closely, a woman was spotted outside RTÉ Studios this week trying to do her grocery shopping in a rather unusual location – the Lidl on the set of Fair City.
David Murphy, RTÉ's Economics & Public Affairs Editor, shared the moment on social media Monday evening, tweeting:
'Met a lady outside RTÉ trying to get in to do her shopping in the Lidl on the Fair City set this evening. It's listed on Google Maps. I gave her directions to Tesco.' Pic: RTE
The confusion stems from a realistic-looking Lidl store that now features as part of the fictional town of Carrigstown, built on RTÉ's Donnybrook campus. The store is not open to the public, but its presence online, including on Google Maps, has apparently led at least one person to believe otherwise.
The Lidl store is the result of a major three-year product placement deal signed earlier this year between the supermarket chain and RTÉ. It marks the largest broadcast product placement agreement in Irish television history, according to RTÉ Commercial Director Gavin Deans.
Construction of the faux supermarket began in March. The collaboration between RTÉ and Lidl includes realistic store features like a Deposit Return Machine, in-store bakery, and even a modern staff welfare area. A fictional store manager, Renee, will be introduced as part of upcoming plotlines. Pic: RTE
Characters in Fair City will interact with the store as part of their daily lives in Carrigstown – and, evidently, some viewers are already mistaking it for a place to pick up their weekly shop.
Fair City, which debuted in 1989, draws over 600,000 weekly viewers on RTÉ One, with a further 100,000 streaming the show each week via RTÉ Player.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The best outfits and looks from Galway Races Ladies Day throughout the years
The best outfits and looks from Galway Races Ladies Day throughout the years

Irish Daily Mirror

time12 minutes ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

The best outfits and looks from Galway Races Ladies Day throughout the years

Widely known as 'Ladies Day', Thursday of the Galway Races has become just as famous for its fashion as it has for its racing. 'Ladies Day' has typically been the most eagerly anticipated of the Festival's events, with the opportunity for race-goers to socialise and show off their style. The annual event always delivers some incredible looks and outfits as attendees dress to the nines in an effort to land the coveted title and cash prize. As one of the biggest events in the Irish racing calendar, it's a must-attend for both racing enthusiasts and fashion aficionados. Throughout the years, Ballybrit has hosted some exquisite and daring fashion choices as punters show off their style at the world-famous racecourse. With the 2025 Ladies Day set to take place this Thursday, we take a look back at some of the best outfits to grace Ballybrit over the years, from gravity-defying headpieces to stunning sartorial choices. Check out our picture gallery below to sample of some of the best outfits which have been on show at the Galway Races in recent years. Davinia Knight from Co Laois 1 of 25 Eva Hayes Morrissey from County Limerick (Image: Andrew Downes, xposure) 2 of 25 Caitriona King from Corofin, Galway 3 of 25 Laura O'Hanlon from Roscommon 4 of 25 Rudrani Pramanik from Dooradoyle, Limerick 5 of 25

Sleep suits, toy trucks and car parking at Dublin Airport: some of the actions taken by the consumer watchdog last year
Sleep suits, toy trucks and car parking at Dublin Airport: some of the actions taken by the consumer watchdog last year

Irish Independent

time14 minutes ago

  • Irish Independent

Sleep suits, toy trucks and car parking at Dublin Airport: some of the actions taken by the consumer watchdog last year

Through consumer complaints, referrals from European networks, investigations and work with Revenue, the unsafe products were recalled, removed or prevented from reaching the Irish market. Among the recalls were nearly 10,000 babies' sleep suits and more than 2,400 toy construction trucks. Successful prosecutions were brought against five retailers last year, with Tesco Ireland pleading guilty to two sample counts of failing to comply with laws around the display of product prices on promotion for Clubcard holders. CCPC chairperson Brian McHugh said the annual report 'highlights the vital role the CCPC plays across all sectors of the economy'. "As we look ahead, it is clear that the CCPC's work is more important than ever and our vision for open and competitive markets where consumers are protected and businesses actively compete, remains at the heart of everything we do. 'Following a year of notable achievements and a decade of progress, our focus remains on delivering transparent outcomes, empowering consumers with knowledge of their rights, and being a leading voice for competition and consumer welfare across Ireland.' 'The CCPC continues to deliver for Irish consumers and businesses by ensuring our markets remain competitive, transparent, and safe,' Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said. 'Their work in 2024 – from blocking anti-competitive mergers to removing dangerous products and empowering consumers through education – demonstrates the importance of strong, independent enforcement.' Among the items highlighted in the report was the work done by the CCPC to block the sale of the former QuickPark car park site at Dublin Airport, an effort to prevent a monopoly in that market. In March of last year, the sale of the car park based on the Swords Road in Santry to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) was blocked over concerns it would lead to higher prices and a lower quality of service for consumers. ADVERTISEMENT A CCPC investigation found the deal would have seen DAA own more than 90pc of public car parking spaces serving Dublin Airport, leading to 'harmful consequences for consumers'. Following the decision, DAA said it saw 'merit' in appealing, but decided against an appeal to ensure the car park's spaces got back on the market ahead of the busy summer period. The report also highlighted assistance provided to the Italian competition authority by the CCPC in an unannounced search of Ryanair's Dublin headquarters last year. The search in March 2024 came as part of an Italian competition law investigation into whether Ryanair was abusing its dominant position in the market to hinder travel agents from selling Ryanair flights. Claims that Ryanair abused its dominant market position were denied by the airline. In January, the airline lost an appeal to overturn a decision it cannot sue the Italian competition authority in Ireland over the search. The High Court had dismissed Ryanair's case against the Autorità Garante Della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) in June of last year.

Fear for FAI staff as 'Business Transformational Plan' looms
Fear for FAI staff as 'Business Transformational Plan' looms

Irish Examiner

time42 minutes ago

  • Irish Examiner

Fear for FAI staff as 'Business Transformational Plan' looms

FAI staff fear for redundancies after the organisation confirmed a 'Business Transformational Plan' will be presented to the board for approval next month. Speculation over a reduction in headcount has been ongoing as the association's debt levels have plateaued at €40m in recent years. Pointedly, chief executive David Courell pivoted from a position of ruling out layoffs last year to leaving open the possibility when he last addressed the media in April. Latest available figures from annual accounts quantify staff levels at 251, amounting to payroll costs of €13.6m. Losing their playoff against Wales for this year's Women's Euros in Switzerland denied the FAI a minimum of €2m in prize-money while a successful path through a qualification beginning in September for next year's men's World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico would expect to gross at least €10m. Heimir Hallgrímsson's Ireland are third seeds behind Portugal and Hungary in a group where runners-up secures a route to the finals through the playoffs. The FAI's staff engagement committee, comprised of employee representatives, were informed of the upcoming transformational plan this week at headquarters. Details were sketchy but the anticipation is a restructuring process ultimately leading to a lower workforce. It remains to be seen if there's a voluntary aspect to job losses. 'Our senior leadership team have been working for quite some time now looking at how, as an organisation, we're structured to be as effective as we can be,' said Courell three months ago. 'We have big ambitions for Irish football and want to make sure we're aligned to deliver on those. 'We were entering into a review of how we would structure our organisation to deliver our pathways plan. 'We're also nearing a construct of what 2026 to 2029 strategy will look like, taking the opportunity to look at how we're structured as an organisation to ensure we're set up in the best way to deliver locally, regionally, nationally - making sure that we're as efficient as we can be as a not-for-profit organisation.' Connected but separate to the FAI, it's understood the Cork-based Education Training Board (ETB) course for budding footballers is being discontinued. The course currently employs four coordinators - ex-Cork City players Stuart Ashton, Dave Hill, Ian Turner and Mark McNulty. It is not yet clear whether the quartet will be redeployed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store