#Consumer Affairs

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#Consumer Affairs

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland president Gerard O'Toole said: 'Access to finance remains a major barrier, especially for small and medium-sized developers.'</p>

economy

Irish households' €160bn in savings could be unlocked to fund new homes – SCSI

State-backed housing investment vehicle could release some of the €160bn, most of which is in low-interest current accounts

<p>The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) says Irish excise rates on alcohol are still the second-highest in Europe despite drink consumption here being on a par with our European neighbours. Picture: iStock</p>

economy

Alcohol consumption falls again, dropping 4.5% last year

Spar wants a bigger slice of Ireland's €15bn grocery market

Conspiracies, distrust and 'holding on for dear life': Inside Ireland's largest Bitcoin Conference

economy

Conspiracies, distrust and 'holding on for dear life': Inside Ireland's largest Bitcoin Conference

Consumer watchdog 'should have more powers to probe supermarket pricing'

politics

Consumer watchdog 'should have more powers to probe supermarket pricing'

100% mortgages would drive up house prices, Central Bank warns

news

100% mortgages would drive up house prices, Central Bank warns

Butter

Caitríona Redmond: Why have butter prices soared and is it cheaper in other countries?

Head melted from increased prices? Word is spreading that butter is cheaper abroad but is that a rumour or a fact?

Mon, 26 May, 2025

RTÉ’s Oliver Callan adds 25,000 listeners to show, according to JNLR survey

RTÉ’s Oliver Callan adds 25,000 listeners to show, according to JNLR survey

Morning Ireland the most listened to show in the country

Thu, 15 May, 2025

M&S says customer data was taken in cyberattack

M&S says customer data was taken in cyberattack

The retailer, whose stores remain open, is widely reported to have been the victim of a ransomware attack

Tue, 13 May, 2025

Heineken reports strong growth for Murphy's

Heineken reports strong growth for Murphy's

The brewing giant warned of ongoing volatility caused by uncertainty over global tariffs

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

Insurance, payment and finance with old couple and documents for planning, budget and mortgage. Savings, taxes and retirement wi

Mortgage interest rates down slightly as banks 'slow' to pass on ECB cuts

Interest rate on new home loans was 3.79% on average at the end of February, down 0.03% from January and 0.5% down from the same month in 2024

Wed, 09 Apr, 2025

Ford Kuga EV drivers will not be compensated after fire risk warning

Ford Kuga EV drivers will not be compensated after fire risk warning

The company has written to owners of newer Ford Kuga plug-in hybrids to inform them of the potential for the high-voltage battery in the car to 'short circuit'

Sat, 29 Mar, 2025

Changing chanels

Call for crackdown as TV, phone, and broadband prices set to soar again

Eir, Sky, Three, and Vodafone will hike prices mid-contract for the third year in a row, prompting consumer watchdog call for action

Thu, 20 Mar, 2025

Uisce Éireann's refusal to attend meeting on Cork City's dirty water problem 'beyond insulting'

Uisce Éireann's refusal to attend meeting on Cork City's dirty water problem 'beyond insulting'

It comes as the utility announced water restrictions in parts of West Cork following detection of ammonia levels in the River Illen

Thu, 13 Mar, 2025

High Street Retail As German Inflation Bites

Zara owner's sales slow in early weeks of first quarter

Company spent €2.7bn last year on improving operations through refurbishing stores, deploying new security technology and expanding logistics capabilities

Wed, 12 Mar, 2025

Prepare to pay more for your flat white as Ireland's coffee producers face a perfect storm

Prepare to pay more for your flat white as Ireland's coffee producers face a perfect storm

Rising global demand and crops hit by adverse weather mean that Irish coffee roasters are paying more for beans this year

Tue, 11 Mar, 2025

Sinn Fein health policy

Government 'throwing families under a bus' by ending energy credits

Sinn Féin's David Cullinane said in the Dáil that finance minister Paschal Donohoe was full of 'guff, bluff, and bluster'

Thu, 06 Mar, 2025

Oasis reunion

Caitríona Redmond: Ticketmaster said 'No' — but this reader didn’t back down

How bagging an accessible concert ticket can be a saga, even before getting to the venue

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Rising House Prices

Daft.ie report suggests RPZs reduced supply of homes to rent

Author Ronan Lyons says soaring rents are due to two issues — 'a lack of supply that was there anyway, and rent controls have made supply worse'

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to 'wellness influencer' fraud Belle Gibson

Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to 'wellness influencer' fraud Belle Gibson

Belle Gibson's posts about her battle with cancer touched the lives of millions. But she never had cancer and her whole 'alternative medicine' narrative was the basis of a massive scam

Tue, 18 Feb, 2025

Fitzroy's Florist in Primrose Hill, London

Household spending outpaces inflation showing 'real gain' in consumption

New data from Bank of Ireland indicates a real gain in consumption of approximately 4%

Tue, 18 Feb, 2025

European Union launches probe into fashion website Shein

European Union launches probe into fashion website Shein

EU investigating Chinese fast fashion website for possible breaches of laws on product safety, consumer protection, and data protection

Tue, 11 Feb, 2025

Buying meat at a supermarket.

Storm Éowyn drives additional spending in supermarkets

The post-festive period saw consumers spend more on items that were on promotion with an extra €72m spent during January

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Florist Arrange Red Rose Flowers

Flowers, jewellery, dinner: Card data reveals Irish consumers' Valentine's spending habits

February 14 last year saw a 69% rise in cinema spending, pub spend increased by 27%, hotels were up by 17%, and gift card sales rose 23%

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Happy young couple saving money for their next investment, shopping or vacation

Consumer Corner: Goodbye — my top 10 things I've learned writing this column

After four years of writing about saving money and spending wisely, here are a few things I’ve learned from all the experts I spoke to over the years.

Wed, 15 Jan, 2025

Head is swimming on dance floor

Irish nightclub scene on 'brink of collapse', say campaigners

Of the 83 regularly active nightclubs in Ireland, 23 of these are situated in Dublin

Wed, 15 Jan, 2025

Ripe for the picking? Irish wine on the up — but ‘nobody will retire rich’

Ripe for the picking? Irish wine on the up — but ‘nobody will retire rich’

Global warming has made conditions more favourable for growing grapes — and finding the right variety is key, writes Lisa O'Carroll

Tue, 07 Jan, 2025

ROSEMARY STEEN

'I heard a man say he was leaving Ireland over a rental dispute. That's why I took this job with the RTB'

Residential Tenancies Board chief executive Rosemary Steen tells Sean Murray about the serious challenges it has faced and the progress it is making

Mon, 06 Jan, 2025

Everything you need to know before you file your income tax return with Revenue

Everything you need to know before you file your income tax return with Revenue

After Budget 2025, you may find yourself entitled to a bigger tax refund this year

Wed, 01 Jan, 2025

The concept of home ownership and Euro

Credit unions could have an extra €5.5bn to lend to homebuyers and businesses

Central Bank has published the findings of a public consultation on changes that could see credit unions allowed to lend more of their assets

Mon, 23 Dec, 2024

Electric Pylons-Stock Photo

Environment tax take rose to €5bn including €350m in windfall taxes

Environment taxes surged last year, jumping 15% to €5.1bn compared to 2022

Thu, 19 Dec, 2024

Housing stock

Property prices overvalued by 10% risking another market crash, ESRI warns

The ESRI noted that 33,000 homes are expected to be delivered this year which is far short of what the market requires

Thu, 12 Dec, 2024

Halston Street Credit Union Limited in Dublin, Ireland

Credit Unions to be allowed triple mortgage lending

Home and business lending will rise from the current €2.9bn to €8.6bn as limits on the sector are eased

Wed, 11 Dec, 2024

Closed sign

Limerick restaurant among food businesses hit with closure orders in November

'Cutting corners or letting standards lapse could result in a health risk to consumers'

Wed, 11 Dec, 2024

Rising House Prices

'I’ve heard of landlords exploiting loopholes by increasing parking or utility fees'

In one ‘shocking’ case, the rent on an apartment almost doubled — up €900 a month when RPZ rules say it should have risen €24. Cianan Brennan hears how a rent register could close the new lease loophole

Mon, 09 Dec, 2024

Santa Claus doing grocery shopping at the supermarket

Christmas spend to rise to €1,177 as a quarter of us plan to splurge more than last year

Competition and Consumer Protection Commission advise: 'Don’t ruin January by spending what you don’t have this Christmas'

Mon, 09 Dec, 2024

General Economy Ahead Of Irish Election

Guinness popularity forces Diageo to 'manage' UK supply

The supply shortfalls in Britain and the US — where Guinness is now the fastest-growing imported beer — is not expected to affect Ireland

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

Coronavirus

Cork woman suspected of accessing thousands of accounts in fraud investigation

Security sources warn that people working remotely can themselves pose a security risk — and also when people they live with have access to their data

Thu, 05 Dec, 2024

Tinder charges

Consumer Corner: Managing the cost of dates as the use of dating apps falls

"You want a rich man? That’ll be an extra €20 a month on your subscription. OK, maybe they don’t work quite like that, but the dating world can be expensive, for both online and offline."

Wed, 04 Dec, 2024

Technology Photos

One in five online shoppers in survey were scammed in the last year

Fraudsmart spells out some of the warning signs, and invites shoppers to use its Scamchecker.ie site to check for online scams

Mon, 02 Dec, 2024

Dublin Taxi

Taxi fares increase by 9% with passengers facing further charges

New charges set to increase the cost of coming home in the early hours

Sun, 01 Dec, 2024

PTSB customers waiting for wages after technical issue

The bank said it resolved the payment issues for the “majority of customers” by the early afternoon

Fri, 29 Nov, 2024

Halston Street Credit Union Limited in Dublin, Ireland

Credit union mortgages jump to €700m

Mortgages now make up more than 10% of the total credit union loan book

Mon, 25 Nov, 2024

Irish Economy As Latest Retail Figures Released

Consumers lose interest in Black Friday sales, with only 36% planning to buy

Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has advice for consumers to ensure they are not misled by online sales

Fri, 22 Nov, 2024

A senior couple planning their finance and paying bills while using a laptop at home. A mature man and woman going through paper

Consumer Corner: How much will a funeral cost and should you start planning now?

Based on market research, funeral prices can range anywhere from €2,000 to €8,000. In reality, many families are left struggling to cover these costs so planning ahead and considering these expenses in advance can be a practical step.”

Wed, 20 Nov, 2024

Grocery store - Vegetables

Supermarkets record best monthly sales so far this year

In the four weeks to November 3, grocers saw their sales increase 6.4% year-on-year reaching €1.16bn

Mon, 18 Nov, 2024

File Photo THE SALE OF Blanchardstown Shopping Centre this year was IrelandÕs most expensive single property deal ever, accordin

US firm agrees to buy Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

Goldman Sachs offered the centre for sale last year, reportedly for €650m.

Mon, 18 Nov, 2024

Michael Moynihan: When small businesses close, communities are never quite the same

S Michael Moynihan: When small businesses close, communities are never quite the same

My message to the next Dáil: When small operations which are rooted in their community close down, those communities are not quite the same afterwards, says Michael Moynihan

Listen | Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

AbbVie Strikes $63 Billion Deal For Botox-Maker Allergan

Profits fall by 27% at Abbvie's Botox plant at Westport

New accounts filed by Allergan Pharmaceuticals Ireland UC show the firm saw revenues decline by 4%

Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

Flutter Entertainment sees strong revenue and player growth

Flutter Entertainment sees strong revenue and player growth

Flutter’s revenue growth was driven by a strong start to the NFL season in the US along with new products which saw revenue in that region increase by 51% year-on-year

Wed, 13 Nov, 2024