Vol. 534 No. 2
64 Ms Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she has taken since the development of the foot and mouth disease crisis to ensure that there is no unnecessary profiteering in the sale of meat and meat products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10324/01]
Experience both in this country and internationally supports the view that consumer interests are best served by the operation of competition in the marketplace. I strongly encourage consumers to take advantage of the competition that exists in the retail sector, to compare prices between outlets and to shop where they find the best value.
There is a statutory obligation to provide information on pricing under European Communities (Indication of Prices of Foodstuffs and Non-Food Products) Regulations, 1991 (as amended), with certain general and specific exemptions, namely that the selling price of all foodstuffs and non-food products must be displayed. In accordance with the regulations, retailers must ensure that the price is clearly displayed on or near the product so that each price can easily be associated with a particular product. False or misleading indication of prices is prohibited under section 7 of the Consumer Information Act, 1978, and the director of consumer affairs may prosecute breaches under the Act.
