What items are consistently vastly overpriced in Ireland compared to UK

timetogo1 · 12-07-2023 7:40am #1

I have a couple of items that I buy now and again, that occasionally drop drastically in price in Ireland compared to their usual price. On checking the drop is usually only to the same price as their normal RRP in the UK.

Examples:

Douwe Egberts Coffee - Supervalu / Dunnes / Tesco normally have this for €13.99. The normal price in the UK (Asda) is about £6.75. Dunnes drop the price every month or two for about a week to €7 (it's €7 now). Still overpriced in my mind but the missus likes it. So I stock up whenever the price drops. And use the €5 off €25 or €10 off €50 to get another 20% off.

Results for “douwe” - Tesco Groceries

Haagen Daaz Ice Cream - Supervalu / Dunnes / Tesco normally have this for about €7. The normal price in the UK (Asda) is about £4. The shops here drop the price every so often to about €4.

I was wondering if there are any other items that have huge jumps like that. It seems like they have some type of collusion as the 3 chains are similar at the much higher prices while just north of the border, Tesco / Asda seem to have them at the much cheaper prices consistently. We go north every couple of months so I'm trying to identify items that make it really worthwhile. Best bang for buck type of stuff. I'm not bothered stocking up to save 1%. I'll stock up if it saves 30%

E.g. Dunnes dropped their price on Douwe Egberts yesterday. We were out of stock at home and I can't justify paying €14 for a jar of coffee so it was on the list for our next trip north. Don't need to now.

zell12 · 12-07-2023 5:29pm

Well everything.

Padre_Pio · 12-07-2023 5:33pm

Cars would be the big thing IMO.

cmac2009 · 12-07-2023 5:42pm

For whatever reason toiletries seem to be outrageously expensive in Ireland compared to the UK.

For example, Dove mens shower gel 400ml is priced at £3 at Tesco (2.50 in many other places), at todays fx rate that's €3.50. But it's €6.50 in Ireland. Not sure how they can justify such a differential. There's many examples where products are 100%+ more expensive.

Geuze · 12-07-2023 5:43pm

Sudocrem, formerly made in Co. Dublin.

400g tub = 11.89, or 10.00 Clubcard price

6.50 GBP, which is 7.65 euro.

Made in Ireland, yet 55% dearer here.

Geuze · 12-07-2023 5:43pm

Paracetamol, and other OTC medicines

Geuze · 12-07-2023 5:46pm

Pint of beer in central Manchester = 2.90 GBP in July 2022, = 3.40 euro

https://tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/two-fab-pubs.html

Pint in central Dublin = 5.50-7.00?

OK, VAT in the UK is 20% versus 23% here.

timetogo1 · 13-07-2023 3:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842686#Comment_120842686

That's a good suggestion. I checked a couple of the items we buy. About 30% cheaper at least in the north for what we currently buy.

Jim2007 · 13-07-2023 4:23pm

When you compare Ireland (145k), one of the top three economies ranked by GDP to the UK (56k), you should not be in the slightest bit surprised that things are more expensive. No matter what arguments you advance against the measurement of GDP, expecting one that is almost a three times greater than the other to have a similar cost base is totally unrealistic. Even the Big Mac index puts Ireland way ahead of the UK.

The UK has decided to become a low cost producer on the edge of Europe competing with other third countries on a cost basis, where as Ireland is a high value added economy and a member of a major trading group. Comparisons will be come more and more unrealistic over time.

timetogo1 · 13-07-2023 4:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120846964#Comment_120846964

Yeah. Thanks for that. Not really the point of the thread though.

z80CPU · 13-07-2023 4:44pm

Couriers are becoming more expensive starting at the smallest item: € 6.99 for shipping a waterproof shell for my GoPro from continent to my address. On the merchants website the courier was stated as An Post but Fastway are the sub contractors :p

zell12 · 13-07-2023 5:30pm

There is an untapped market for massive warehouses on the border, to ship non-food/drink products south to large population centres. No reason why ParcelMotel or their ilk cannot restart, is there?

zell12 · 13-07-2023 7:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842690#Comment_120842690

£5.99 in Savers https://www.savers.co.uk/Winter-Skin/Sudocrem-Tub-400g/p/137083

bennyx_o · 13-07-2023 7:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847206#Comment_120847206

I'd suspect any large operation doing that would soon attract the attention of Customs. The founders of ParcelMotel have opened in Jonesborough (Oohpod) with the same style of operation, but don't ship to Ireland as goods would then be liable for VAT & Duty

kirk. · 13-07-2023 7:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847206#Comment_120847206

Is that not smuggling?

kirk. · 13-07-2023 7:29pm

Power tools

Del2005 · 13-07-2023 7:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842686#Comment_120842686

Toiletries are so often on "special offer" that I think they just make up the massive price to make people think that they are getting a bargain when on special offer. I just stock up when they are ~~on special offer~~ normal price

zell12 · 13-07-2023 7:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847631#Comment_120847631

No, because NI is in EU customs area. Only issue I see is VAT

kirk. · 13-07-2023 7:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847660#Comment_120847660

I seen a few companies named on bargain alerts that are doing that service

L1011 · 13-07-2023 7:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847206#Comment_120847206

The reason they can't restart is that it would be smuggling. You are still buying from the UK, not the NI special area.

Strumms · 13-07-2023 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842702#Comment_120842702

Food and drink up north in England are a fraction of the costs here.

my local Italian now here the cheapest pasta dish is 20.50. North Dublin suburb….

the one I go to in Manchester….did a conversation, same dish converts to 15.09

the Manchester restaurant is a significantly more modern, bright, less cramped and more comfortable eating experience.

babaracus · 13-07-2023 7:59pm

Antihistamine tablets are less than £1 a 30 pack in the UK, usually €9 or thereabouts for the same amount here.

13-07-2023 8:33pm

indian food from a restaurant.

i was back home in London a few weeks ago, so met a mate for a curry.

chicken jalfrezi

Garlic & peshwari naan

4 popadoms and dips

Pilau rice

Sag aloo

29 quid for the lot so just over €30, it’s usually €20 just for a main here!

kirk. · 13-07-2023 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847847#Comment_120847847

Most of its muck over here too

z80CPU · 14-07-2023 11:08am

Business Software in an Irish Context - We're English speakers who use the Euro currency and as such are now more a minority language in the context of the EU.

Games downloaded from Steam. Poorer value than ever. The Irish Goon operation of Steam blindly follow the Command of their UK Steam Overlords and blindly send out emails marketing crap for the Gollum game, which the software developer Daedalus actually apologized for.

Jim2007 · 16-07-2023 2:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847008#Comment_120847008

It actually is, because you are trying to compare apples and oranges. The only difference between comparing Irish prices to the UK and Cuba is that we have the same language. Beyond that it's apples and oranges.

Jim2007 · 16-07-2023 2:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120849781#Comment_120849781

I'd expect that at this stage a very large portion of European business that is non client/customer facing is written in English. It is simply cheaper to write and support software in English than in multiple languages. And at this stage most people under say 40 can speak sufficient English to be able to operate their business software.

Jim2007 · 16-07-2023 2:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847206#Comment_120847206

The only problem with that is that both the EU inspectors and Irish customs officers have brains....

Jim_Hodge · 16-07-2023 2:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847008#Comment_120847008

But what is the point then? You aren't comparing like for like. What about what's overpriced in the UK compared to Namibia, or overpriced in the US compared to Ireland?

Jim2007 · 16-07-2023 2:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120847718#Comment_120847718

And if you go to any other poor country, you'll find the same thing - Southern Italy, Portugal, Greece, parts of Eastern Europe and so on. If you go to poor countries you will get low prices, there is nothing new in that. The UK has decided to become a third country competing with the various low cost economies of Asia etc on a cost basis, to do that they are going to have to reduce their costs dramatically and over time that gap will grow. Give it 10 or 15 years and everyone in the EU view the UK as a cheap place to go for holiday break or buy cheap goods with a similar quality to those you buy today from places like China.

timetogo1 · 16-07-2023 4:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120858283#Comment_120858283

Well it's in the thread title and the first post. Plus I can't drive to Namibia or the US in 60 minutes so not really great for grabbing some cheaper goods.

E.g.

"We go north every couple of months so I'm trying to identify items that make it really worthwhile. Best bang for buck type of stuff. I'm not bothered stocking up to save 1%. I'll stock up if it saves 30%"

reubenreuben · 24-07-2023 5:39pm

Toiletries especially dove brand.

reubenreuben · 24-07-2023 5:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120858320#Comment_120858320

Talk about poor!

Ireland is expensive but has poor of everything.

Jim_Hodge · 24-07-2023 5:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120890945#Comment_120890945

Do you realise how absurd that comment is?

cobham · 24-07-2023 5:49pm

Aspirin and paracetamol. Tesco and Superdrug do 'own brand' for pennies.... eg 38 pence for 16?

tjhook · 24-07-2023 6:00pm

Yeah, I'm probably the 6th person to say it, but toiletries.

Nivea roll-on anti-perspirant for men.

£1.45 on tesco.com, €3.50 in tesco.ie.

They're both normal prices, not special offers.

CH3OH · 29-07-2023 10:17am

Lots of obvious ones

Toiletries

Chocolate bars

Biscuits

Cleaning products

Sauces

Fizzy drinks

Wine Beer and spirits

I could go on.. . You just need to know your prices

Some things can be on offer either North or South and that can make a big difference

One item that I've noticed is Paint

Just an example all on 3 for 2 offer

B&Q North £78 € 91

B&Q DUBLIN 1€138

Woodies €160

Imagine painting a whole house!

Dublin:

Woodies

CH3OH · 29-07-2023 2:22pm

Here's another quick example with Tesco

Mr Kipling Cherry Bakewell

£1.99 up North but a club card price of £1.50 €1.75

Here €4.29

SmartSelect_20230729_141623_Tesco Ireland.jpg

pat_sconce · 30-07-2023 11:44am

In Germany people tend to know the prices in several stores of most of their regular items and will shop in several stores to get the same price.

I lived there for a few years and got into the same habit.

Far too many Irish people blindly follow a single store and they pay for it.

When you get used to it, you can save 20%++ on groceries especially if you open yourself to switching brands / using own brands.

As for UK comparisons, generally the UK is more expensive on overall shop especially meat, dairy and fresh foods.

CH3OH · 24-08-2023 11:09pm

Just another example of Tesco price gouging Irish customers

£6 up North €7

€16 down here

Some difference

SmartSelect_20230824_225021_Tesco Ireland.jpg

Strumms · 24-08-2023 11:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121023286#Comment_121023286

I was going to post the exact same… I buy those all the time.

suvigirl · 24-08-2023 11:34pm

I always go to the hairdressers down the North, last time got it done in Dublin it was over 370 euro😭.can get the same in Enniskillen for approx 100/110 sterling.

always buy toiletries and drugs down the North too, no comparison!

OKDublin · 24-08-2023 11:45pm

Pret A Manager, M&S Food and Mint Velvet (amongst others) for clothes - all about 30% more in Republic than London.

CrazyEric · 27-08-2023 12:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121023341#Comment_121023341

😲 What in the name of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the little Donkey are you getting done for €370?? A transplant!! That's 2 years of haircuts for me, Admittedly I am old and there isn't that much to cut anymore, more a case of moving the strands to a better position.

suvigirl · 27-08-2023 12:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121033161#Comment_121033161

I know! It's crazy. Highlights, roots, cut and blow dry. I nearly died 😳

Jim_Hodge · 27-08-2023 12:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121033181#Comment_121033181

You don't need to go North to get that done for much less.

suvigirl · 27-08-2023 12:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121033227#Comment_121033227

Well unfortunately I kinda do. That's a very good saloon in Enniskillen with top stylists, one third of the price of Dublin.

Jim2007 · 27-08-2023 12:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121023373#Comment_121023373

And Ireland's GDP per capita is at least twice that of the UK. You can't live in an expensive economy had have cheap stuff, that does not exist in any part of the world.