'I am dismayed': Consumer advocate slams report over price gauging in Irish supermarkets

A prominent consumer advocate is among those who have criticised a report from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which found no evidence of price gouging in Irish supermarkets.

The report, published on Thursday, follows a CCPC investigation amid concerns over the increasing cost of groceries which are continuing to put strain on shoppers across Ireland.

Reacting to the report and its findings, chairman of the Voluntary Consumers’ Association of Ireland, Michael Kilcoyne, expressed his shock and disbelief. 

Speaking on this he said: “I am dismayed that that is the conclusion (that there is no price gauging). If it is not supermarkets that are ripping us off, then it is up to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to find out who it is.” 

The CCPC says that while there has been an increase in food price inflation, it found that Irish supermarkets are not making significantly greater profits when compared to supermarkets in other countries. 

However, the commission cannot investigate profit margins along the food supply chain, including buyer power and margins, as they will be under the remit of the new Agri Food Regulator. 

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Speaking on the rise in agricultural output prices and the role of the Agri Food Regulator, Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore declared that the enormous spikes in the agri-food supply chains must be investigated. 

She then outlined how the Regulator is unable to investigate the rise in prices: “Regrettably the Regulator is unable to do this work because it does not have the power to compel price and market information from relevant businesses.” 

Deputy Whitmore explained that the regulator does not have the powers needed to investigate despite having written to the Minister of Agriculture requesting them “nearly a year ago.” 

Regarding the CCPC's 'nothing to see here' findings, she questioned its conclusions that there is no price gauging as the CCPC does not have access to all of the relevant data.

This is because not all of the large supermarket chains publish their Irish profits. 

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Whitmore further criticised the government for not compelling large supermarket chains to publish their profits and claimed that “the government enabled large supermarkets to keep their profits a secret at a time when prices are soaring.” 

This is despite the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, saying in a recent interview that the profits should be published by large supermarket chains: “Why wouldn’t they be transparent, what have they got to hide?” 

The finding of the CCPC report comes as the price of groceries in Ireland continues to rise putting added pressure on family budgets all across the country.