As you dive into the Black Friday deals it’s really easy to get carried away with yourself. It happens to me too. But if you’ve been paying attention to pricing in the lead-up to this massive shopping day, you might be a little surprised by what you find. For many years, retailers have been exaggerating the savings and misrepresenting the overall value of deals to you, the consumer, without getting so much as a slap on the wrist.
That’s about to change as the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is set to bring retailers to court for breaking sales pricing laws.
Update: Three retailers plead guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation
What is the CCPC?
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is Ireland’s government-run independent body responsible for enforcing competition, consumer protection, and product safety laws. Established in 2014, it ensures businesses operate fairly and empowers consumers to make informed choices. Its duties include investigating anti-competitive practices, monitoring compliance with pricing rules, and addressing misleading advertising.
For consumers, the CCPC is vital in protecting against deceptive practices and fostering trust in the marketplace. By holding retailers to account for bad practices, the CCPC promotes transparency and fair competition. This helps consumers access clearer pricing, better choices, and reliable information when shopping online or in-store.
What is the CCPC Enforcing?
In November 2022, new regulations were introduced on how retailers can present sale pricing to customers. These regulations require:
- Discounts be shown compared to the prior price
- The prior price must be the lowest price the product was available for in the previous 30 days
The CCPC has launched proceedings against a number of nationwide retailers for breaking sales pricing laws. The retailers are due to appear before the Courts in January 2025.
These prosecutions involve traders from sectors such as electrical goods, cosmetics, furniture, and clothing and footwear, and stem from pricing violations identified during CCPC online sweeps conducted throughout the 2023-2024 winter sales season, including Black Friday and January sales. Several other traders have been interviewed under caution, with additional prosecutions anticipated.
Why is the CCPC Taking Retailers to Court?
Simply put, the CCPC is taking retailers to court because they have been misleading customers both in-store and online for years.
Here’s an example of this issue which I saw last week when I bought this AA and AAA battery charger.
I purchased this product on 19 November when it cost about €15 and at the time that was already a “sale” price.
Today, 29 November, you can purchase that same charger in the Black Friday sale for €12.15, marked down at a 51% sale price from £25. The reality is that the savings just aren’t as impressive as they appear on the website that I was shopping on. And, even more importantly, the website I was shopping on is in breach of the CCPC regulations and breaking the law by misleading consumers.
Chairperson of the CCPC Brian McHugh said, “misleading sale discounts harm consumers and harm competition. Businesses need to able to compete for consumers openly and honestly on price”.
The CCPC is encouraging 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.
