Dunnes Stores's Slogans & Taglines

Dunnes Stores was founded on 31 March 1944 by Bernard "Ben" Dunne Sr. and Dan Barrett on Patrick Street in Cork, Ireland. Dunne revolutionised Irish retail by introducing self-service browsing and clothing racks at a time when goods were kept behind counters, and by offering pre-war prices during wartime austerity. The debut slogan "Better Value" sparked a shopping frenzy so intense that police were called to manage the crowds. In 1956, the company launched its own St. Bernard grocery brand, and in 1960 it added its first food section in Dublin. In 1963, the stores were consolidated under Dunnes Holding Company with a family trust to ensure continued family control. In the 1990s, Margaret Heffernan took the helm, shifting the brand from deep-discount roots toward a mid-market positioning through collaborations with Irish designers such as Paul Costelloe and Joanne Hynes. Today, Dunnes Stores operates approximately 142 outlets across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, and Spain, remaining one of the country's largest private, family-owned retailers.

The brand's core products are food, clothing, and household wares, spanning grocery supermarkets, fashion and textiles, homeware, and café concessions. Its portfolio includes in-house clothing brands such as Savida and Gallery, the My Family Favourites grocery line, and designer collaborations that blend accessible style with Irish heritage.

From the original wartime promise of "Better Value" and the later anthem "Better Value Beats Them All," Dunnes Stores has evolved to embrace the modern tagline "Simply Better" and "Simply Better Value." This journey reflects a shift from a revolutionary discount drapery shop to a sophisticated, multi-category Irish retail institution.