SPAR Ireland has unveiled a new flagship store at KCR in Dublin that is intended to act as a showcase for the next phase of convenience retail, blending faster shopping journeys with a strong emphasis on sustainability. Long known as a familiar stop for commuters and local residents, the site has been reworked to pair practical convenience with a more technologically advanced and environmentally conscious format.

Among the most notable additions is Ireland’s first avocado scanner, a feature designed to help customers judge ripeness before buying and, in turn, cut down on food waste. The store also uses Deligo AI self-checkout technology, which relies on machine vision to recognise basket contents without manual barcode scanning, and Ordú digital deli ordering kiosks, which allow shoppers to place fresh food orders in advance and avoid queueing at the counter. According to SPAR, these systems are meant to speed up transactions and make short, on-the-go shopping trips less cumbersome.

The KCR branch also introduces a walk-in chilled drinks area known as the Kimmage Chill Room, while an air door on the beer cave is designed to reduce cold-air loss and improve energy efficiency. Sustainability measures are woven throughout the site, including an external living wall to support biodiversity and insulation, a wind turbine that generates part of the store’s power, rainwater harvesting for external planting, and The Cup Collective, which encourages customers to return used cups for recycling. The refrigeration system is said to deliver almost 65 per cent energy savings, underscoring the store’s ambition to reduce its environmental footprint as well as modernise the customer experience.

Colin Donnelly, SPAR Ireland’s sales director, said the retailer has spent more than six decades bringing new ideas to convenience shopping in Ireland and described KCR as a clear example of where the brand believes the sector is heading. Industry coverage of the opening has echoed that message, portraying the store as both a technology testbed and a statement about how supermarkets and forecourt-style convenience sites may evolve as operators look to balance speed, sustainability and customer service.

Align your brand with one of Ireland’s most respected food and drink awards programmes by becoming a Partner today of Ireland's Quality Food & Drink Awards today. Download our Media Pack here: https://irish.qualityfoodawards.com/irelandqualityfooddrinkawards2026/en/page/become-a-sponsor-or-partner