Overview
- The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission carried out 80 unannounced inspections across six counties in May 2026 to check compliance with consumer law.
- Inspections covered gift shops, pubs, cafés, supermarkets, clothing retailers, jewellers, hairdressers and petrol stations in tourist areas such as Temple Bar, Dingle, Kenmare and Tramore.
- Inspectors identified issues including inaccurate or unclear price displays, missing hallmarking notices for jewellery and examples of misleading commercial practices.
- Businesses found in breach are required to take corrective action and face further inspections with possible enforcement up to prosecution if non-compliance continues.
- The CCPC is pressing the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for direct fining powers so it can impose faster, larger penalties tied to turnover as a stronger deterr.