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Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying prices properly
Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying prices properly

Irish Independent

time4 hours ago

  • Business
  • Irish Independent

Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying prices properly

A total of 55 swoops were carried out in five counties by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). It said its series of unannounced inspections targeted multiple retail businesses, to ensure the outlets were complying with consumer laws, particularly around prices being displayed. The retail sectors targeted include clothing, beauty, furniture, groceries and hospitality. The CCPC said 22 inspections had been carried out throughout Co Dublin, including in Swords, Dundrum and Tallaght. There was one in Leixlip, Co Kildare, and eight in Tullamore, Co Offaly. In the Northwest, 12 inspections were carried across Co Donegal including in Letterkenny, Bundoran and Donegal town. A further 12 inspections completed throughout Co Sligo. The competition body said the inspections formed part of the CCPC's ongoing work to monitor compliance with consumer protection laws and ensure fair trading practices across Ireland. It said: 'The law sets out how traders must display prices and covers the selling price, unit price and reduced prices.' CCPC said its officers identified several breaches of consumer protection law, including inadequate or inaccurate price displays on items for sale. Inspections were also carried out across the retail motor fuel sector, including at leading service stations, identifying several breaches of the price display rules as set out in the Retail Prices (Diesel and Petrol) Display Order, 1997. CCPC member Patrick Kenny said: 'CCPC enforcement officers use our national helpline data to spot patterns of consumer harm and traders who might merit investigation. We carry out unannounced inspections and if we find traders breaking the law, we can issue fines and take prosecutions.' Mr Kenny said consumers needed to see prices up front in order to make informed choices. 'If our enforcement officers find breaches of consumer protection law, we will act.' Traders were selected based on location and sector and, in some cases, following consumer complaints to the CCPC consumer helpline. Complaints are a valuable source of information to the CCPC because they help identify sectors where consumers may be at risk. Last year more than 44,000 consumers contacted the helpline, 5,000 more than in 2023. The CCPC is calling for more substantial penalties for companies that breach consumer protection law. In March of this year, Lifestyle Sports (Ireland), DID Electrical Appliances and Rath-Wood Home & Garden World pled guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation and were ordered to donate €1,000 each to charity. Changes to the law are needed to give the CCPC the power to impose large fines for serious offences – for example, fines that are a percentage of a business's turnover. Consumers who suspect a trader has breached consumer law are encouraged to report their concerns to the CCPC by phoning the National Consumer Helpline on 01 402 5555 or emailing ask@ The CCPC was recently asked by the Government to update a high-level analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, which it completed in June 2023. The competition watchdog has been urged to investigate how profitable supermarkets are here and if there are barriers stopping new retail chains entering the market. Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon wants the CCPC to find out whether there are obstacles stopping the retail giants such as Britain's Asda or France's Carrefour setting up in this country.

Urgent recall issued for children's clothes sold by Next amid strangulation risk
Urgent recall issued for children's clothes sold by Next amid strangulation risk

Irish Daily Mirror

time5 hours ago

  • General
  • Irish Daily Mirror

Urgent recall issued for children's clothes sold by Next amid strangulation risk

An urgent recall has been issued for a number of children's clothing items sold by Next over fears they may lead to strangulation and choking. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) announced this week that Jainco UK Limited is carrying out a recall of Miss Dresses and Knitted Top, Shorts and Headband Outfit Set. According to the CCPC, the product poses "a strangulation and choking hazard due to excessively long decorative cords that do not comply with safety standards." The brand is Miss and there are five items included in the recall notice. The products being recalled are pictured below and the item numbers are the following: F83773, F83782, F83775, F83781 and F85623. Jainco UK Limited is recalling its Miss Dresses and Knitted Top, Shorts and Headband Outfit Set The product was sold online via Next and it is understood that there are approximately 11 affected products in the Republic of Ireland. Parents and guardians who purchased one of these products are urged to stop using it immediately and to keep it out of the reach of children. Customers who may have given any of these items as a gift are also urged to ask the recipient to dispose of the item safely. In a statement, a Next spokesperson said: "Miss has made us aware of a problem with the above items. "Unfortunately, it's come to light that there's a potential problem with the decorative cords on the products which are too long. This could present a strangulation / choking hazard for children. "As the above items don't meet strict technical specifications, Miss has taken the precaution of recalling the items, and request that you return your impacted product to Next immediately for a full refund. "Please 'contact us' to arrange a collection and full refund." Get all the big crime and court stories direct to your phone on our new WhatsApp service. Sign up here.

Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying proper prices
Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying proper prices

Irish Independent

time6 hours ago

  • Business
  • Irish Independent

Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying proper prices

Some 55 swoops were carried out in five counties by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). It said its series of unannounced inspections targeted multiple retail businesses, to ensure the outlets were complying with consumer laws, particularly around prices being displayed. The retail sectors targeted include clothing, beauty, furniture, groceries and hospitality. The CCPC said 22 inspections were carried out throughout Co Dublin, including in Swords, Dundrum and Tallaght. There was one in Leixlip, Co Kildare, and eight in Tullamore, Co Offaly. In the Northwest, 12 inspections were carried across Co Donegal including in Letterkenny, Bundoran and Donegal town. A further 12 inspections completed throughout Co Sligo. The competition body said the inspections form part of the CCPC's ongoing work to monitor compliance with consumer protection laws and ensure fair trading practices across Ireland. It said: 'The law sets out how traders must display prices and covers the selling price, unit price and reduced prices.' CCPC said its officers identified several breaches of consumer protection law, including inadequate or inaccurate price displays on items for sale. Inspections were also carried out across the retail motor fuel sector, including at leading service stations, identifying several breaches of the price display rules as set out in the Retail Prices (Diesel and Petrol) Display Order, 1997. CCPC member Patrick Kenny said: 'CCPC enforcement officers use our national helpline data to spot patterns of consumer harm and traders who might merit investigation. 'We carry out unannounced inspections and if we find traders breaking the law, we can issue fines and take prosecutions.' Mr Kenny said consumers need to see prices up front in order to make informed choices. 'If our enforcement officers find breaches of consumer protection law, we will act.' Traders were selected based on location and sector and, in some cases, following consumer complaints to the CCPC consumer helpline. Complaints are a valuable source of information to the CCPC as they help identify sectors where consumers may be at risk. Last year more than 44,000 consumers contacted the helpline, over 5,000 more than in 2023. The CCPC is calling for more substantial penalties for companies that breach consumer protection law. In March of this year, Lifestyle Sports (Ireland), DID Electrical Appliances and Rath-Wood Home & Garden World pled guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation and were ordered to donate €1000 each to charity. Changes to the law are needed to give the CCPC the power to impose large fines for serious offences – for example, fines that are a percentage of a business's turnover. Consumers who suspect a trader has breached consumer law are encouraged to report their concerns to the CCPC by phoning our National Consumer Helpline on 01 402 5555 or emailing ask@ The CCPC was recently asked by the Government to update a high-level analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, which it completed in June 2023. And the competition watchdog has been called on to investigate how profitable supermarkets are here and if there are barriers stopping new retail chains entering the market. Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon wants the CCPC to find out if there are obstacles stopping the retail giants like Britain's Asda or France's Carrefour setting up in this country.

‘Stop using' alert to Irish parents as popular children's items sold in Next recalled over choking & strangulation fears
‘Stop using' alert to Irish parents as popular children's items sold in Next recalled over choking & strangulation fears

The Irish Sun

timea day ago

  • Health
  • The Irish Sun

‘Stop using' alert to Irish parents as popular children's items sold in Next recalled over choking & strangulation fears

AN urgent warning has been issued to Irish parents after several children's clothing items were recalled over choking and strangulation fears. The affected kids clothes, made by the brand Miss, were sold online through 3 The items pose a possible risk of choking or strangulation Credit: CCPC 3 Parents have been warned to stop using immediately Credit: CCPC Miss dresses, knitted top, shorts and headband outfits were included in the The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission alerted parents of the recall due to choking and strangulation concerns today. The affected items have been found to feature excessively long decorative cords. According to READ MORE IN MONEY The products do not meet the required The CCPC said: "Jainco UK Limited is carrying out a recall of Miss Dresses and Knitted Top, Shorts and Headband Outfit Set. "The product poses a strangulation and choking hazard due to excessively long decorative cords that do not comply with safety standards." The affected products were sold online via retailer Next Retail Limited. Most read in The Irish Sun There are approximately 11 affected products in the Republic of Ireland. The brand is Miss and the item numbers are F83773, F83782, F83775, F83781 and F85623. Aldi urgently recalls £3.29 freezer essential over dangerous disease that affects 1 in 100 of Brits The CCPC said that parents should keep their And they said buyers can contact Next Ireland for a refund. They added: "If you purchased one of these products, please discontinue use immediately and keep it out of the reach of children. "If customers have given any of these items as a gift, please ask the recipient to dispose of the item safely. "Please contact Next Ireland to arrange a refund." It comes after a The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission issued the recall due to safety concerns. REGULATIONS The Hedkayse Rugby Headguard has been recalled due to non-compliance with the essential It is understood there are approximately 3 affected products in the Republic of Ireland. The brand is Hedkayse and the model is R1 Youth/Adult. The CCPC said: "Hedkayse Limited are carrying out a recall of Hedkayse Rugby Headguard. "The product has been recalled due to failure to demonstrate conformity assessment, invalid CE marking affixed and non-compliance with the essential health and safety requirements of the PPE Regulations. "The brand is Hedkayse. The model is R1 Youth/Adult." They continued: "Customers should stop using the product immediately. "Hedkayse asks customers to contact them at info@ to discuss a product recall/replacement service." 3 Some children's clothes sold via Next's online platform have been issued a recall Credit: Reuters

‘Impoverished' shoppers getting ‘gouged' as Wexford councillor calls for creation of agency with ‘teeth to investigate anti-competitive practises'
‘Impoverished' shoppers getting ‘gouged' as Wexford councillor calls for creation of agency with ‘teeth to investigate anti-competitive practises'

Irish Independent

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Irish Independent

‘Impoverished' shoppers getting ‘gouged' as Wexford councillor calls for creation of agency with ‘teeth to investigate anti-competitive practises'

The CCPC was established in 2014 following the amalgamation of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority and is the statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with, and enforcing, competition and consumer protection law in Ireland. However, with customers 'getting gouged' on a daily basis, Cllr Sheehan believes it is time to create an agency which will deliver for the ordinary, everyday shopper. 'There is no competition in the basic goods and services that we purchase and use everyday,' said the independent councillor. 'While we are an affluent nation, we feel absolutely impoverished. From the producer to the supplier to the retailer, people are getting gouged. "What we need are two independent statutory agencies that have a laser-like focus on breaking up cartels, injecting competition and robustly defending consumer rights with a strong legislative arm to punish those deliberately blocking competition.' In 2022, then Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar published the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022 to give more powers to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) to challenge anti-competitive practices by business and protect consumers. As a result, breaches of competition law can now be enforced through administrative actions taken by competition authorities, with maximum fines of up to €10 million or 10 per cent of total worldwide turnover, whichever is the greater. But Cllr Sheehan said the CCPC, in its current guise, does not have 'the teeth' to investigate breaches and anti-competitive practices, and that only by splitting the organisation in two can we effectively tackle continued inflation. 'A separate competition authority could pursue any sector and issue fines accordingly, the old competition authority was a nemesis for many industries and delivered for consumers: a new version would ensure utilities, food, finance, and the supply chains would come under the spotlight to ensure that companies are not taken advantage and that prices drop to realistic levels again,' he said. 'In addition, a new consumer authority would vociferously stand up for consumer rights to ensure that companies and retailers honour the law. Both agencies could be funded by a levy on the supernormal profits of the multinationals and outlets that are literally raking it in. 'The cost of living isn't going away soon; we need agencies which are going to meet the challenge head on.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

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