Teams from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) have swooped on dozens of businesses across the south and west of the country in a series of unannounced inspections officials said had been triggered by complaints from the public. The CCPC, the State agency responsible for policing consumer protection, confirmed inspections have taken place this month in business premises from Galway to Waterford.

On Thursday 19 September, CCPC enforcement officers inspected businesses in Galway city and county, covering the hospitality, beauty, motor and retail sectors. In the same week in Leinster enforcement officers inspected businesses across Carlow, Dublin and Wexford, covering the motor and retail sectors where they found potential breaches including goods for sale without prices clearly and accurately displayed, and some businesses not meeting their legal obligations to consumers when things go wrong with a product or service.

Meanwhile in Munster CCPC enforcement officers launched 43 inspections of a range of businesses in the hospitality, beauty, motor and retail sectors last week. In Cork city and county, the CCPC carried out 15 inspections; while in Kerry, 14 inspections were carried out across Killarney and Tralee. In Limerick city, five inspections took place; and in Waterford city and county, there were nine inspections completed.

Tourism Businesses Targeted in Killarney

In Killarney, there was a focus on the tourism sector where several breaches of consumer protection law were identified including items on sale without clear or accurate price displays, and misleading information about the origin of certain products. Elsewhere across Munster, inspections were carried out major car dealerships where potential breaches were identified, particularly around pricing and faulty goods.

The CCPC said a particular concern was a lack of understanding among businesses regarding their legal obligations to consumers when things go wrong with a product or service. In all of the cases the CCPC said the inspections had followed an increase in calls to its national helpline.

Commenting on the inspections, CCPC Commission Member, Mr. Pat Kenny, said it will prosecute traders and businesses found to be in breach of consumer law: “The CCPC regularly carries out unannounced inspections to make sure businesses are abiding by consumer protection laws. Our enforcement officers use our national helpline data to identify serious breaches and patterns of non-compliance. Traders who break the law can face fines and prosecution. Our actions in Galway highlights the importance of consumers bringing things that don’t seem fair to them to our attention,” he said.

Complaints Prompt Unannounced Inspections

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has confirmed that it has conducted a number of inspections in Killarney to ensure compliance with consumer protection laws. This follows a surge in complaints to the organisation’s consumer helpline which led to a total of 43 businesses in Munster being inspected.

CCPC enforcement visited a range of businesses covering the hospitality, beauty, motor and retail sectors with 14 inspections carried out in Killarney and Tralee. The Commission said particular attention was given in Killarney to businesses catering to the tourism industry where several breaches of consumer protection law were identified.

These included items on sale without clear or accurate price displays and misleading information about the origin of certain products. “The businesses came to the attention of the CCPC following consumer complaints to its helpline. Complaints are a valuable source of information as they help identify sectors where consumers may be at risk,” CCPC Commission member, Pat Kenny, said.

“The Commission is prepared to take action and prosecute traders and businesses who were found to be in breach of consumer law,” he said. “Traders who break the law can face fines and prosecution and our interventions are focused on the areas where we can make the greatest impact across a range of sectors,” Mr Kenny added.

CCPC: Protecting Consumers and Enforcing Laws

The CCPC is the statutory body responsible for enforcing and promoting compliance with competition, consumer protection and product safety law, with new and expanding roles in digital and data regulation. The CCPC have said that they are committed to using their full range of enforcement powers to protect consumers, which includes imposing fines, issuing compliance notices and pursuing criminal prosecutions. The names of traders who have breached consumer protection law will also be published later this year in the CCPC’s Consumer Protection List.

Taking Action and Empowering Consumers

The CCPC's recent actions in Munster highlight the importance of consumers speaking up and reporting any suspected breaches of consumer protection laws. The organisation has emphasized that they are dedicated to utilizing their full scope of enforcement powers to safeguard consumers. These powers encompass the imposition of fines, the issuance of compliance notices, and the pursuit of criminal prosecutions. Additionally, the names of traders who have violated consumer protection laws will be publicly disclosed in the CCPC's Consumer Protection List later this year. This transparency aims to empower consumers by providing them with information to make informed decisions and to hold businesses accountable for their actions.