Shop uses credit note to get around Minimum Unit Pricing

12-01-2022 3:41pm #1

Don't know if anyone has seen this

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/shop-offers-credit-note-for-value-of-47-slab-of-beer-to-shoppers-who-buy-30-of-plastic-glasses-in-protest-at-minimum-price-laws-41232513.html

Basically, buy 24 plastic glasses for 30 eur, get a credit note for 47 eur, which you can then use to buy a slab of Bulmers, a vaccuum or a mop as per the T's&C's.

The question I have is this, can the shop dictate how a credit note can be spent i.e. you can only buy one of those 3 items. My understanding is a credit note is treated as cash by all concerned so I don't see how they can lock its redemption to the list of 3 items I mention above.

I've tried digging into the rights/legislation around the use of credit notes to see if I can get an answer but I'm coming up short so thought I'd ask here

silver2020 · 12-01-2022 4:07pm

I'd love to see a few people insist on using the credit note to buy 3 packs of fags where margin is miniscule.

But possibly he gets you to agree to the t&cs before purchase.

Novel concept, but I suspect it will be knocked back somehow

12-01-2022 4:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462591#Comment_118462591

I agree it's a novel approach, I'm just not sure how he can limit the use of the credit note to just 3 products, regardless of whatever T&C he specifies.

Can a credit note be limited like that?

Allinall · 12-01-2022 4:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462661#Comment_118462661

I would have thought, yes, he can limit the credit note use.

It's his shop, so he can make the rules.

L1011 · 12-01-2022 8:00pm

This "credit note" will be found to be a voucher and hence not legit under other provisions of the same bill which prohibit the use of vouchers to buy alcohol.

Dempo1 · 12-01-2022 8:04pm

Featured on the liveline show today, great crack on the Thread, shop owner was on, Joe had a mini melt down , ironic given he had a great laugh earlier in the week with a clown on SW buying up €700 worth of Canned Guinness to avoid MUP

Claw Hammer · 14-01-2022 4:19pm

This sounds like the shebeen where there was free drink, provided you rented a glass from which to consume the free drink. The rent for the glass varied according to the type of beverage it was supplied with.

Ger Roe · 14-01-2022 4:37pm

How can you get a credit note for more than you paid out? Don't credit notes equate to the value of goods paid for and returned for an accepted valid reason? Whatever workaround of the alcohol law is being tried here, I don't see how it can be described as a credit note.

Definition of credit note from Citizens Information - "A credit note is a paper or electronic note issued by a business to a customer in place of a refund".

Caranica · 14-01-2022 5:43pm

Promotion is over. HSE called shop owner to say what he was doing was against the spirit of the law (so technically not illegal) and he ended the offer.