NCA publishes Consumer Protection List
14 July 2009
The National Consumer Agency today published its Consumer Protection List (CPL), where it names the businesses against which it has taken enforcement actions over the past year.
The NCA has a wide range of enforcement powers it can deploy on behalf of consumers to ensure compliance by businesses under the Consumer Protection Act 2007.
During the 12-month period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 the NCA took 85 enforcement actions against 67 businesses.
These ranged across the entire business sector from grocery outlets to car dealers, furniture retailers, publicans, an internet magazine sales company, sports wear, DIY, hardware and electrical retailers, as well as a supplier of sewage treatment plants. Some businesses had more than one action taken against them.
The enforcement actions consist of:
- 6 Prosecutions - non price display, charging prices higher than the displayed price, failure to comply with the requirements of a Compliance Notice, and offering a clocked car for sale.
- 1 Prohibition Order - misleading advertising by a furniture company
- 7 Undertakings - various misleading practices including, selling clocked cars
- 31 Compliance Notices - 29 relate to charging prices higher than the displayed price and two for adulteration of alcoholic drinks
- 40 Fixed Payment Notices (on the spot fines - €300) - non price display
The Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency, Ann Fitzgerald, said: "Consumers must be provided with accurate information regarding products and not exposed to unfair or misleading commercial practices.
"It is the Agency's intention to continue to use the various tools at its disposal to ensure traders comply with their legal obligations and give consumers the rights to which they are entitled. Of course, we will continue to work with business to help bring about compliance.
"High standards of compliance will help generate competition benefiting consumers and traders alike. However, if this is not forthcoming, the Agency will take appropriate enforcement measures.
"To avoid the risk of NCA intervention and the possibility of adverse publicity, it is in the interest of all businesses to put systems in place that will ensure consumers are not misled or disadvantaged."
The full Consumer Protection List and further details are available on the NCA's website for consumers, ConsumerConnect.ie