Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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271. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will task the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission with investigating the practice whereby supermarkets are mandating customers use loyalty cards to avail of cheaper prices for groceries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40448/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is an independent statutory body. As Minister, I do not direct the CCPC to investigate individual cases or potential breaches of competition or consumer protection law. The CCPC operates independently in its decision-making, in line with its statutory remit.

In general, businesses in Ireland are free to set their own prices for the goods and services they offer. However, all retailers are required to comply with regulations concerning the clear and accurate display of prices. This includes the provision of unit pricing, which is essential to ensure that consumers can compare products effectively and make informed purchasing decisions.

The CCPC recently brought a prosecution against Tesco Ireland Limited for failing to display unit pricing on Clubcard price labels. On 24 June 2024, Tesco entered guilty pleas in the Dublin Metropolitan District Court in relation to two summonses. Judge Anthony Halpin applied the Probation Act, ordering the company to pay the CCPC’s legal costs and to make a €1,000 donation to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity.

Misleading pricing practices, including the use of fake discounts, undermine consumer trust and can cause real harm. Addressing such practices remains a key enforcement priority for the CCPC.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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272. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of retailers being investigated for anti-competitive behaviour, namely misleading discount practices, by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40449/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister, I respect the independence of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). As an enforcement body, the CCPC does not comment on actual or potential investigations, and I do not have a role in directing or influencing its enforcement decisions.

Misleading discount practices fall under consumer protection law rather than competition law. The European Union (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 — S.I. No. 597/2022 — came into effect on 29 November 2022. This legislation is designed to ensure that price reduction announcements are genuine and to prevent traders from artificially inflating previous prices or misleading consumers about the level of discounts offered.

The CCPC has already taken enforcement action under this legislation. This year, prosecutions were brought against Boots, Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical, and Rathwood Home and Garden World. All four retailers entered guilty pleas. In each case, the judge applied the Probation Act and directed the companies to pay costs and make a €1,000 donation to charity.

It is essential that consumers are provided with clear and unambiguous pricing information so they can make informed choices. Misleading prices harm consumers, and fake discounts undermine trust in the marketplace. Tackling such practices remains a key priority for the CCPC.