asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has proposals for legislation that will require the introduction of unit pricing.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unit Pricing.
56.
The question of unit pricing is being considered as part of the general programme of consumer protection being pursued by my Department. I should point out, however, that the Retail Price (Food) Display Order, 1972, at present in force in respect of certain foodstuffs goes a considerable way to meet the unit pricing idea in that it requires the display by retailers of the prices of the commodities concerned per normal unit of weight or other measurement.
Would the Minister say if it is legally binding on a shopkeeper to display the prices of the full range of goods sold by him or is there a loophole whereby he can display a small number of items only?
No. There is a schedule of the items that he must display. He must display the prices of a given number of items if he has those items on sale. He does not have to display prices of items that he has not on sale.
But he must if he has them on sale?
In relation to the items included in the schedule—eggs, potatoes, beefsteak, beef—various cuts of beef—leg of mutton, loin chops of mutton, gigot chops, shoulder bacon, loin chops of pork, oranges.
Take a retail shop that sells 100 items. Is it in order for them to display the prices of half a dozen items? The Minister will appreciate that many of the items on that list belong to a butcher's shop.
I am talking about the order I made on 29th June on the recommendation of the National Prices Commission which indicated roughly a list of about 20 headings. Otherwise there is no regulation demanding of a shopkeeper that he should display a price, say, for cheese.
So that the thing is just a joke as far as retailers are concerned?
No. It is impossible, and it would be extremely wrong and I would be surprised if the National Prices Commission recommended it to me, to make a prices display order indicating that everything contained in the shop should be on one sheet of a particular size and on display. This has arisen by way of criticism from the Licensed Vintners' Association.
The Minister takes the recommendation about a price increase and makes an order about a price increase but it has not to be displayed.
No, that is wrong.