Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his views on the recent number of cases highlighted by the National Consumer Agency in which some branches of the country's four biggest retailers were charging customers more than the prices displayed; if he is satisfied that the law is adequate to deal with such practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19180/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Consumer protection law obliges traders offering a product for sale to indicate the selling price and the unit price of that product and to ensure that the indication of the selling price and of the unit price is clearly visible. Complaints in relation to products being offered for sale where the price or unit price is not clearly visible should be brought to the attention of the National Consumer Agency who have responsibility for enforcing consumer law.

Insofar as instances where a wrong indication of price is concerned, traders who provide false information in relation to the price of a product may be engaging in a misleading commercial practice and may, therefore, be committing an offence under consumer law. Again instances of such practices should be referred to the National Consumer Agency in order that they can be investigated. I understand that the cases referred to by the Deputy follow on from concerted enforcement activity by the Agency in this area in the course of the latter half of 2009. Arising from this activity, the Agency took a total of 62 enforcement actions, including 19 compliance notices issued to traders who charged more for consumer goods than the price displayed.

I fully support the Agency's actions in ensuring that consumers are provided with accurate information regarding products and services and that they are not exposed to unfair or misleading commercial practices. I am satisfied that the law provides strong protections against traders who would seek to mislead consumers through the provision of false information, such as by the wrong indication of prices.