Irish Retailers are still ripping off consumers with high prices.

Skopzz

The reality is that most stores are still fleecing customers down here.
Some Shops started a campaign before the christmas to be 'patriotic'
and shop local. However, a lot of people (like myself) have lost our
jobs and no longer have the money to pay more on groceries down here.

Maybe some Retailers might get this:

Do your patriotic duty and start reducing the outrageous prices that
some stores are still charging. Irish customers are ripped-off. The
cost of groceries down here is absolutely outrageous. People who went
up to the north to do their shopping saved up to 50% at christmas time.

Unless Newsagents, local shops, supermarkets, convenience stores etc
start cutting the prices, you're unlikely to see people like myself
shopping 'local'. Take Centra for example; they charge you 95 cents
for a bar of cadburrys chocolate. In the north, Tesco charge you 40
pents. The VAT on food was increased by our wonderful(!) Finance Minister
before x-mas. A very bad decision to make during a recession.:(

leeroybrown

While I don't disagree that prices are overly high here and that raising the VAT rate was counter productive I have to point a few important things. The VAT rate charged on groceries varies across the three bands with most ordinary shopping being at the 0.0% rate. Your example has chosen one that attracts the 21.5% rate as a luxury good here and 0% in the UK. Also, you're not comparing like with like. If you want people to listen to you don't compare a smaller city centre shop to a huge supermarket.

Squidgie

Luxury=Bank ATM card? €5 to the govt, thank you very much! Are we supposed to put our money under the mattress? WTF

hellboy99

Squidgie wrote: »

Are we supposed to put our money under the mattress? WTF

The way things are currently, "money under the mattress" would be a lot safer.

gerrycollins

leeroybrown wrote: »

While I don't disagree that prices are overly high here and that raising the VAT rate was counter productive I have to point a few important things. The VAT rate charged on groceries varies across the three bands with most ordinary shopping being at the 0.0% rate. Your example has chosen one that attracts the 21.5% rate as a luxury good here and 0% in the UK. Also, you're not comparing like with like. If you want people to listen to you don't compare a smaller city centre shop to a huge supermarket.

I agree with this but there is a much larger picture not been looked at.

While a recent report into the cost of business here in Ireland vs The North found that the cost to run a business here in Ireland cost between 6 and 10% more based on rents and charges and utilities.

One would imagine so that the price of goods sold here in ireland should be roughly that amount higher than the north simply based on the logic that it's more expensive to run a business in the republic.

However what they dont explain/take into account is the varying tax bands that also affect the price you see at the tills. Like another thread on Boards if both countries showed that VAT rates along with cost prices I would be confident everybody would get a surprise.

Also what does not get included is that even thought deliveries are been shipped into Dublin Port and transported either to the north or the republic one fact is that suppliers are charging the southern retailers more for their products. In some cases to the difference of 20%. Its even so bad that some products manufactured in the republic are been sold to the northern stores cheaper than they are sold to southern shops.

I personally can understand why people see it as a rip off because basically at the end of the day there is more money leaving your pocket when you spend in the south regardless of who's fault it is. However please dont just assume its the retailers doing it all for them selves. The government and the suppliers of both stock and utilites have a hand in it too.

gerrycollins

hellboy99 wrote: »

The way things are currently, "money under the mattress" would be a lot safer.

recently read somewhere that this was advised against because of inflation. Dont know full details will try to find it.

leeroybrown

gerrycollins wrote: »

I agree with this but there is a much larger picture not been looked at.

I agree completely. The simplistic post I added above was purely to illustrate how flawed the OP's point about VAT was.

leeroybrown

gerrycollins wrote: »

recently read somewhere that this was advised against because of inflation. Dont know full details will try to find it.

It's fairly simple. In the classic case of someone who has 'mattress money' their cash spends years hidden away devaluing over time.

There also a second worse consequence. Everyone who holes up money like this removes liquidity from the economy. If someone's money is on deposit at a bank it's still providing liquidity to the bank involved who'll then be able to issue debt (hopefully reasonable debt at this stage). It has the inverse effect to what most of the large central banks are doing at the moment by printing a lot of extra notes.

rubadub

gerrycollins wrote: »

While a recent report into the cost of business here in Ireland vs The North found that the cost to run a business here in Ireland cost between 6 and 10% more based on rents and charges and utilities.

Yes, the report showed that to RUN the business was 6% more. Then the illiterate/stupid/sensationalist journalists in the Times could not understand this and concluded that the price at the TILL should be 6% more, which is completely wrong, the report never inferred that.

gerrycollins wrote: »

However what they dont explain/take into account is the varying tax bands that also affect the price you see at the tills.

More importantly they did not take into account distributors/wholesalers costs.

Skopzz wrote: »

Do your patriotic duty and start reducing the outrageous prices that some stores are still charging. Irish customers are ripped-off.

Some items would have to be sold at a LOSS to be able to match the UK prices. In many cases it is the wholesalers/distributors who are selling to the Irish retailers at high prices. If it really was such a golden goose to own a retail shop here then retailers up north would pack their bags and open up down here.

bcmf

Unless you own a shop in Newry wher (for the moment anyway) I would stay put as the shelves are regulary emptied by "Southerners"

techdiver

Example:

Spar - Mary Street Dublin - Wispa - €0.99

That's just one example of the piss take going on.

Fighting Irish

If people are paying the prices, why would retailers lower their prices?

"Ripped Off" is overused in Ireland

eth0_

hellboy99 wrote: »

The way things are currently, "money under the mattress" would be a lot safer.

Most house insurance policies will only cover about €1000 cash if your house is broken into.

parsi

I don't usually have much time for these sterling threads but I did get a bit annoyed at Aldi.

They're advertising chocolate bunnies (same design as the Lindt ones) on UK TV for 89p which is a decent price. They're 1.69 here which takes them out of the decent price bracket and into the same bracket as many of the Cadbury's offers.

So as far as I'm concerned they can stay there...

gerrycollins

eth0_ wrote: »

Most house insurance policies will only cover about €1000 cash if your house is broken into.

ah crap better deposit that 1million so!!

gerrycollins

techdiver wrote: »

Example:

Spar - Mary Street Dublin - Wispa - €0.99

That's just one example of the piss take going on.

whats your point please?

Fighting Irish

Prices cant be reduced as retailers are still been charged high prices by suppliers. I know some retailers are getting some joy getting sterling/Euro clairity but again the difference in VAT bands are throwing the whole equation off.

I know for a fact an Irish retailer has tried to source goods for its Republic shops via their northern office. The supplier involved found out and refused to sell to their northern office thus forcing the southern stores to buy via the suppliers irish office.

deelite

In Dublin yesterday Airwick Reed Air Freshner (new to market) 8.99, I bought the same thing today for 3.25 stg in Newry - that's a big difference.

Skopzz

I agree that the high taxes also play a part but retailers are responsible for setting the prices.

lionela

How about the Evening Hearld €1.20 for a load of crap.
It would be better if they reduced the content by 10-15%.
When they increased it to €1.10 I stopped buying it and pocketed €6.60 per week. I don't miss it one bit .
My only paper now is the Irish Dail Mail and personally I think it's the business.
Also where do you leave the "Sunday Independent" another rip off @ €2.50 full of supplements that go in the bin for most people I am sure.

I worked in the milk business delivering to shops in the Dublin area and the amount of unsold newsprint being returned was huge.. even unopened parcels of papers.
The newspaper people should cut down on this absolute waste. Who pays for your free Metro and morning Hearld that are distributed ... the same people that buy the Morning and evening papers. Do you really need that paper every day ??? try leaving it out a couple of day's, if enough buyer's cut down on this rubbish the Newspaper establishment might stop taking readers for a ride.

rubadub

Skopzz wrote: »

I agree that the high taxes also play a part but retailers are responsible for setting the prices.

So do you suggest they sell some items at a loss to attempt to match prices in other countries?
They are responsible for setting their price, but not responsible for the price they pay for the product.

mikemac

lionela wrote: »

The newspaper people should cut down on this absolute waste. Who pays for your free Metro and morning Hearld that are distributed ... the same people that buy the Morning and evening papers. Do you really need that paper every day ??? try leaving it out a couple of day's, if enough buyer's cut down on this rubbish the Newspaper establishment might stop taking readers for a ride.

From what I understood, the price of a newspaper might only cover the costs at best.
It's advertising where the money is made.

gerrycollins

deelite wrote: »

In Dublin yesterday Airwick Reed Air Freshner (new to market) 8.99, I bought the same thing today for 3.25 stg in Newry - that's a big difference.

not starting an argument but I know places selling that for €4, as its a new product sometimes they offer an introductory price,

gerrycollins

Skopzz wrote: »

I agree that the high taxes also play a part but retailers are responsible for setting the prices.

That maybe so in the overpriced shops but take this for example

If I owned a shop and it cost me x to buy the product, Y to run the store wages esb etc do you not agree that at least X+Y=selling price? in a general sense.

Of course there are a few who add in Z just for the fun of it and the extra margin but trust me there are many retailers around the country just doing the X+Y and are losing their backsides on the matter.

Fighting Irish

I understand all that but i'm just making the point that nobody is forced to buy anything. Too many people buy **** then moan about "Rip Off Ireland"

gerrycollins wrote: »

Fighting Irish

Prices cant be reduced as retailers are still been charged high prices by suppliers. I know some retailers are getting some joy getting sterling/Euro clairity but again the difference in VAT bands are throwing the whole equation off.

I know for a fact an Irish retailer has tried to source goods for its Republic shops via their northern office. The supplier involved found out and refused to sell to their northern office thus forcing the southern stores to buy via the suppliers irish office.

gerrycollins

Fighting Irish wrote: »

I understand all that but i'm just making the point that nobody is forced to buy anything. Too many people buy **** then moan about "Rip Off Ireland"

I agree what is rip off Ireland? A year or two ago when the sterling/euro was 60c odd to the euro there was no rip off. Then the english were talking about been ripped off now the shoe is on the other foot.

ScouseMouse

I have a shop and (stupidly) bought my easter eggs from cadburys. I was coming back from belfast last week and saw a crunchie egg in sainsburys in sprucefield, belfast for 1 pound - yes - one pound. This price includes UK VAT at 15%. So, the shop is really selling it for 85p plus VAT.

I came back down to my shop and checked my cost price. I paid 3.15 euro for the same egg.

Thats 3.15 euro plus VAT at 21 1/2 % = €3.82.

Now everyone can do the maths on this one.

Anyone can ring Cadburys and ask the question why, the number is public knowledge - its in the phone book (ok mods?), but anyone lazy can ring 8480000. (Just got it for yer !)

Now remember, if they say its the VAT, its not, the diff is only 6%
if they say its sterling, its not, its only 9%.
if its cost of business in ROI, just laugh.

Nows your chance to check this up, everything above can be verified by any mod who cares to visit Dublin 20 area.

deelite

gerrycollins wrote: »

not starting an argument but I know places selling that for €4, as its a new product sometimes they offer an introductory price,

Is that down here - could you PM me the shops selling at 4euro - I'd gladly buy more. Thanx.

soc

Skopzz wrote: »

Take Centra for example; they charge you 95 cents
for a bar of cadburrys chocolate. In the north, Tesco charge you 40
pents.

While I agree that overall we are charged high-prices for goods, your example of a price comparison is misleading. You can hardly compare a 'convenience store' price in ROI to a 'grocery store' in NI. 'Convenience stores' are ALWAYS more expensive than a 'grocery store'! That's a cost you pay for CONVENIENCE!

To support your argument, you should compare price of good in Tesco IRELAND to Tesco NORTHERN IRELAND.

soc

superscouse wrote: »

I have a shop and (stupidly) bought my easter eggs from cadburys. I was coming back from belfast last week and saw a crunchie egg in sainsburys in sprucefield, belfast for 1 pound - yes - one pound. This price includes UK VAT at 15%. So, the shop is really selling it for 85p plus VAT.

I came back down to my shop and checked my cost price. I paid 3.15 euro for the same egg.

Thats 3.15 euro plus VAT at 21 1/2 % = €3.82.

Now everyone can do the maths on this one.

Anyone can ring Cadburys and ask the question why, the number is public knowledge - its in the phone book (ok mods?), but anyone lazy can ring 8480000. (Just got it for yer !)

Now remember, if they say its the VAT, its not, the diff is only 6%
if they say its sterling, its not, its only 9%.
if its cost of business in ROI, just laugh.

Nows your chance to check this up, everything above can be verified by any mod who cares to visit Dublin 20 area.

I actually bought 3 Cadbury eggs (one of them being CRUNCHIE) from a Spar Shop last week - grand cost €5

So by my calculation, I only paid €1.67 PER EGG! That cost per egg is almost on par with your £1 egg (using today's FX rate). I think the moral to the story is SHOP AROUND

mcwhirter

gerrycollins wrote: »

I agree what is rip off Ireland? A year or two ago when the sterling/euro was 60c odd to the euro there was no rip off. Then the english were talking about been ripped off now the shoe is on the other foot.

Even at that rate, it was still cheaper to buy goods in the north.

ScouseMouse

soc wrote: »

I actually bought 3 Cadbury eggs (one of them being CRUNCHIE) from a Spar Shop last week - grand cost €5

So by my calculation, I only paid €1.67 PER EGG! That cost per egg is almost on par with your £1 egg (using today's FX rate). I think the moral to the story is SHOP AROUND

I can assure you, they are not purchased from irish suppliers. As my original post said, I STUPIDLY purchased them through the proper channels, i.e. from Cadburys, when I should have just hopped into the van and gone up north.

Also as I originally said, they were one pound in Sainsburys Sprucefield.

So.

One pound plus VAT is 1.215, add in the sterling, say ten cent, then new cost = 1.32 euro.

So selling at 1.67 as other poster got, would give me 20% at 3 for a fiver.

I AM AN IDIOT BUYING MY STOCK IN THIS COUNTRY. NEVER AGAIN.

CADBURYS IN COOLOCK ARE A DISGRACE. :mad: