THREE Limerick based companies have been sanctioned by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) over breaches in product pricing legislation.
In their annual report, the CCPC said that eight enforcement actions were concluded against traders in Munster in 2016, two of which were in Limerick.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) revealed that two Limerick firms breached consumer protection legislation when they “provided false information in relation to the price of products”, a practice which is prohibited under the Consumer Protection Act 2007.
The CCPC is responsible for enforcing a wide range of consumer protection legislation and uses its powers to stop practices that mislead, are unfair to, or harm consumers and in 2016, they carried out 150 unannounced inspections.
Compliance notices were issued to Heatons trading at Heatons Unit 4, Childers Road Retail Park, Limerick and to New Look Retailers (Ireland) Ltd trading at New Look, 10A Cruises Street, Limerick for charging more for the product than the price tag indicated.
Separately, a fixed penalty notice was issued to JC Daly (Hardware) Company of 50-51 William Street, Limerick for failing to indicate the selling price of a product. The practice is in contravention to 2002 EC regulations.
A €300 fine was issued to the company.
Speaking about the latest Consumer Protection List, Isolde Goggin, chairperson of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said, “The Consumer Protection List shows that traders need to comply with consumer protection law and if they do not, the CCPC will not hesitate to take enforcement action up to, and including prosecution”.
The CCPC chair said that this year they will be continuing our unannounced inspections of retailers across Ireland and we will take appropriate enforcement action against retailers who fail to comply with pricing legislation.
