Vol. 221 No. 4
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, having regard to misleading claims being made on quality and price including false statements of normal retail prices in incentive marketing operations, he will introduce legislation to protect consumers from misleading sales practices.
76.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will consider introducing a Bill, similar to the British Protection of Consumers (Trade Descriptions) Bill published recently, giving mandatory enforcement to the correct description of goods and empowering Government Departments to make orders defining terms used in describing goods or requiring special information to be given in advertisements which will ensure that, for example, ambiguous cut price notices will be illegal and that the likelihood of dual pricing will be eliminated.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together.
The questions deal with problems coming within the general field of consumer protection, a subject which I am keeping under continuing review, with a view to determining what protective measures may be necessary in the interests of the consumer and how best to bring such measures into operation. I do not think that it would be desirable to introduce legislation on one particular aspect until decisions can be reached on the general question of consumer protection. As regards the matters dealt with by these questions, I am not aware that any significant damage is being done in this country, as Irish shoppers in general appear to be quite capable of looking after their own interests.
Is the Minister aware— if not, I suggest his better half might be aware—of the growing practice of stating false basic retail prices so as to give the impression that considerable discounts are being given on goods when in fact they are not being given? Is he aware that commodities such as electric light bulbs, which have a standard price, are being quoted in shop windows and in newspapers at prices which are far above the standard selling price and this is being maintained unfairly to attract business for retailers and, having regard to the urgency of this problem, will the Minister expedite consideration of it?
The Deputy means that they are being quoted at prices below——
No. I mean that a commodity costing a set price of 1/- is quoted as having a normal price of 1/4 or 1/6, but that as a special bargain people can get it for 6d. or 9d. The impression is given that there is a discount of 7d. or 9d. when, in fact, it is very much less.
There is a wide range of activity which would come under this heading but it is being kept under continuing review. I think the resources available to me would be better used in the productive adaptation fields at present.
If you use that as an excuse——
There is another aspect and this is in regard to supermarkets where you get products sold under weight. I have had quite a few cases of people asking for the weights of particular products to be checked but there were no facilities on the premises for checking weights. I do not think that it is sufficient to say in this area that the shopkeeper can look after himself or herself. The British Labour Government found it necessary to give the shopkeepers protection and the Government here claim to be of a progressive nature and I should like to see them being progressive in this regard.
After all, they are the friends of this Government.
We have legislation to deal with weights, but as I said, this is a much wider field which you do not deal with piecemeal and the resources available to me are better used elsewhere. The matter is kept under continuing review.
The supermarkets are jungles of calculations.
