Is Ireland still a Rip Off?

LFCFan

Ok, in my eyes Ireland is still way too expensive on many grounds but I'm starting to get the impression that any momentum that had been built up around the topic has fizzled out. What does everyone else think?

DonkeyStyle \o/

He's right Ted.

Archeron

Well, Sunday afternoon I went into a garage in Navan and spotted tiger beer on sale at only €1.99 a bottle. I snapped up five bottles, got to the till waving my crispy tenner and was delighted by the request :

"13.95 please mate"
I pointed out that the price was only 1.99, not 2.79 at which point I was told that the tills were updated with the new price, but the price tags werent. Tough luck to me so. The clerk looked at me and asked "well, what do we do now, do you want them or not???" So I simply took back my tenner and left feeling just a little disgusted.

Thats a big bloody difference in their margin levels if I wasnt paying attention.
The same sort of thing happened to me a total of 3 times in the past weekend. The only difference is that before I was embarresed to say anything because it was "only" 50c or a euro or whatever, but now I say it every single time. Screw them!!

abaddon1666

It doesnt matter if they were updated or not. If its marked 1.99 then thats all you should pay as it is false advertising and they can be taken to court for it. This whole country is full of money grabbing thieves and we let them get away with it. By not making a point about the beer Archeron, they have been able to dodge one hurdle so they can sell the same product for a diff price to the next person thats willing to buy them

Archeron

abaddon1666 wrote:

It doesnt matter if they were updated or not. If its marked 1.99 then thats all you should pay as it is false advertising and they can be taken to court for it. This whole country is full of money grabbing thieves and we let them get away with it. By not making a point about the beer Archeron, they have been able to dodge one hurdle so they can sell the same product for a diff price to the next person thats willing to buy them

I know, and I agree 100%. In fact, I'm more Victor Meldrewish these days than I've ever been and normally wouldnt let it slide. But on a soggy hungover sunday afternoon, on the way home from visiting someone in hospital, all I was doing was buying beer I dont really like because it was cheap and I really just hadnt the enthusiasm to take on the challenge of two people who spoke what I like to call "selective english". They're ficked if they think I'll ever buy in that garage again though. (which is a shame because their donuts are bloody lovely). Anyway, I made my own sad little point by snatching my money back and walking out of the shop, past the queue while loudly proclaiming "you know thats illegal dont you, not pricing things properly". Sometimes you get weary with this rip off thing and just could not be bothered.

KTRIC

I'm totally with you Archeron, but just recently (after some research) I found out that if a shop displays a price then that is called an "invitation to purchase", seemingly they don't have to sell it to you at that price :eek:

Tipsy Mac

I think 70% of rip offs in the country are caused by the government allowing cartels to exist and also in being able to pick and choose what parts of the EU single market they want to allow.

Tom Dunne

I started working in the city center during the Summer. I eat out every day and can get a decent lunch for no more than €7. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. Yes, the rip-off culture still exists, but there are some things that, well, just aren't as rip-off as others.

ninty9er

tom dunne wrote:

I started working in the city center during the Summer. I eat out every day and can get a decent lunch for no more than €7. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. Yes, the rip-off culture still exists, but there are some things that, well, just aren't as rip-off as others.

I agree with this alright.

Depending on the manager you spoke to in Roches you could get an item at the displayed price if it was on every identical item, but as such you are under no obligation to buy and retailers are under no obligation to give an item to you at an incorrectly marked price. "Invitation to Treat" is the piece of legislation covering this as you the consumer have nothing to lose but the retailer does

Paul Tergat

KTRIC wrote:

I'm totally with you Archeron, but just recently (after some research) I found out that if a shop displays a price then that is called an "invitation to purchase", seemingly they don't have to sell it to you at that price :eek:

ha ha, invitation to treat? law of contract??

I find a lot of things here, particularly in Dublin, very expensive!

el diablo

still a rip-of or maybe it's even more of a rip-off. but I think that a lot of people have been "ground down" by it too.:(

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

It'll be a rip off as long as we accept it and pay for it.I think Ireland is more overpriced than rip-off. The quality is generally mediocre.

lionela

Mabye not for this forum..but have you noticed the Evening Hearld has gone up by 10c. lately . In the name of God how can they justify an increase at this time of crisis.
If they cut the crap that's included in the issue by 10% they could in fact reduce the price not increase it. Who pays for the free morning Hearld that is given out each morning.?? who else but the Evening Hearld buying public. Don't buy the paper at any junction for a few days and I would bet that might run a shiver up Independent Newspapers.
Let them cut the sheer waste of returned newsprint from all the newsagents..in fact some bundles are not even opened for sale. I have worked as a delivery person for years and the amount of unsold newspapers is stagering. Tons of it. We are told to...Reduce ..Reduce ..Reduce , get the message all you newspaper producers.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

lionela wrote: »

Mabye not for this forum..but have you noticed the Evening Hearld has gone up by 10c. lately . In the name of God how can they justify an increase at this time of crisis.
If they cut the crap that's included in the issue by 10% they could in fact reduce the price not increase it. Who pays for the free morning Hearld that is given out each morning.?? who else but the Evening Hearld buying public. Don't buy the paper at any junction for a few days and I would bet that might run a shiver up Independent Newspapers.
Let them cut the sheer waste of returned newsprint from all the newsagents..in fact some bundles are not even opened for sale. I have worked as a delivery person for years and the amount of unsold newspapers is stagering. Tons of it. We are told to...Reduce ..Reduce ..Reduce , get the message all you newspaper producers.

If they gave it away for free, it still wouldn't be value for money.

K4t

Archeron wrote: »

Well, Sunday afternoon I went into a garage in Navan and spotted tiger beer on sale at only €1.99 a bottle. I snapped up five bottles, got to the till waving my crispy tenner and was delighted by the request :

"13.95 please mate"
I pointed out that the price was only 1.99, not 2.79 at which point I was told that the tills were updated with the new price, but the price tags werent. Tough luck to me so. The clerk looked at me and asked "well, what do we do now, do you want them or not???" So I simply took back my tenner and left feeling just a little disgusted.

abaddon1666 wrote: »

It doesnt matter if they were updated or not. If its marked 1.99 then thats all you should pay as it is false advertising and they can be taken to court for it.

The supermarket are not actually breaking the law in this instance. They're just being incompetent fools.

When you walk into a shop and see a price tag, it is called 'Invitation to Treat'. It's not an offer. So if the price is different on the actual product and at the check-out, there is nothing you can do except either pay up or leave it back.

rubadub

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

I think 70% of rip offs in the country are caused by the government allowing cartels to exist and also in being able to pick and choose what parts of the EU single market they want to allow.

What cartels do you believe exist?

I think the majority of people being "ripped off", have only themselves to blame. People continue to pay foolish amounts for many things when alternatives are readily available, esp. food.

DesignLady

€2.50 - €3 for a regular black filter coffee in most places in Dublin. It's insane. Gave up buying coffee during my breaks on my horrible weekend job in the city and found I was saving over €10 every weekend.

...It did take three weeks to figure out why I was getting a terrible headache around midday every Saturday. The extent of my coffee reliance was revealed.

Have to say you can get a lot more decent food for good prices these days though.

shivkk06

yes...the petrol went up by 8c in the budget which pi88ed me off as i had found garage at 112, but the next day it had gone to 124 which was an extra 4c on top of the 8 by government

Shelflife

The price on the shelf is indeed an invitation to treat and the shop is under no obligation to honour it, however by displaying a price different to that which is actually charged at the till they are in breach of regulations and can be fined up to €1500 for each incorrect label.

RiverWilde

Prices, prices, prices!! It's simple for me. When I go into a shop I have a price ceiling in my head and if the shop doesn't match that ceiling or beat it I leave. I've often had grocers look at me as if to say, 'where are you going? You haven't bought anything!" If the cost of running a shop has gone up due to added heating, wages etc, frankly I don't care. That's not my problem. My job is to find the best price for me and my family. If shops and restaurants won't supply that I'll find those retailers who will.

Riv