DID Electrical Appliances, Lifestyle Sports (Ireland) and Rath-Wood Home & Garden, pled guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation in Dublin District Court today. Prosecutions were brought by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) against Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical, and Rath-Wood following sweeps of the companies’ websites during the 2023-2024 winter sales season, including Black Friday.
These are the first prosecutions in the country under new legislation first introduced back in 2022. The new laws means retailers can only show discounts based on the lowest price for a product in the past 30 days. All of this means it’s very likely that more retailers will be handed similar prosecutions as it’s far from just this three not following the rules.
And rightly so. CCPC Chair Brian McHugh says “misleading sale discounts harm consumers and harm competition. It is vital that traders are transparent with consumers, displaying prices clearly and accurately. Businesses must be able to compete openly and honestly, and consumers must be able to shop with confidence”.
As a result of the today’s findings, the three retailers were ordered to €1,000 to Little Flower Penny Dinners and the varying legal costs of the CCPC.
The CCPC continues to encourage customers who spot misleading sales information to report it. Complaints are a valuable source of information to the CCPC as they help identify sectors where consumers may be at risk. Both consumers and retailers themselves should notify the CCPC of fake discounts on using the reporting form on ccpc.ie, by contacting the CCPC helpline on 01 402 5555 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm) or by emailing ask@ccpc.ie.
