Irish retailers that fail to display prices for paper bags risk legal action, says watchdog

Irish retailers are failing to display the prices they charge for paper bags and similar products and risk legal action unless they address the issue, the consumer watchdog has warned.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has written to retailers around the State, reminding them of their legal obligations when it comes to price transparency.

It warned that they could face fines and court appearances unless they display clearly what costs consumers are likely to face for all elements of their purchase.

In 2002, a tax was attached to plastic bags which currently stands at 22 cent.

There was some reluctance in the early days, but the tax was quickly embraced and after its introduction there was a dramatic reductions in the number of discarded plastic across the State.

In the year before the levy was rolled out, plastic bags made up as much as 5 per cent of the litter in Ireland, compared with less than 0.3 per cent now. The levy was revenue neutral with all the money raised going back into environmental measures.

Supermarkets subsequently phased out the so-called single-use plastic bags and have been charging more than 70 cent for heavier-duty plastic bags. The advantage for these is that bags that cost over 70 cent incur no levy, which means the shops make money on every single bag they sell.

Since 2023, many retailers – including Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Marks & Spencer, Zara, H&M and Eason – have all started charging for paper bags, with most claiming they are doing so out of concern for the environment.

The CCPC said that consumers have been contacting its helplines “indicating that there is no display signage in store or around the checkout area showing the price of shopping bags for sale”.

Under consumer law, retailers must clearly display prices for items being sold. These prices must be unambiguous, easily identifiable, clearly legible and on or near the product.

The CCPC said that where “breaches of the law are detected, [it] may take further action to ensure retailers comply with price display laws and consumers are properly informed when shopping. These actions range from the issuing of fixed payment notices and compliance notices up to prosecution in the courts.

“Retailers must comply with consumer law, and consumers have a right to know the price of any product they purchase, including shopping bags,” said the watchdog’s director of communications and consumer information, Aoibhín de Búrca.

“They should not be put on the spot at the till to pay it or notice it afterwards on their receipts.”

She said the contacts the CCPC had received “through our helpline highlight potentially concerning practices around price displays, so we are writing to traders to remind them of their legal obligations”.