General rip off examples

21-10-2019 12:54pm #1

Thought there might be a general thread for pics of the odd rip-off you see here and there which aren't worthy of a new thread every time..........Couldn't find one, so here we go:

Spar Merrion Row. Who in their right mind is paying this for a standard packet of biscuits?

edit: image was huge, trying to resize it now

steinbock123 · 21-10-2019 1:14pm

ANY of the garage "shops", loads of examples, but a small bottle of Coke for €1.80/1.90/1.95 is ridiculous when priced against a 2litre bottle in the supermarket.
But I think the biggest rip-off ever invented is the "rounding up" lark, where something is priced at €4.97, you hand in a fiver but get no change. It really boils my piss! :mad: I can honestly say that for every time I've been "rounded down", I've been "rounded up" 15 or 20 times.
But there's probably a separate thread for that one!

WishUWereHere · 21-10-2019 8:44pm

steinbock123 wrote: »

ANY of the garage "shops", loads of examples, but a small bottle of Coke for €1.80/1.90/1.95 is ridiculous when priced against a 2litre bottle in the supermarket.
But I think the biggest rip-off ever invented is the "rounding up" lark, where something is priced at €4.97, you hand in a fiver but get no change. It really boils my piss! :mad: I can honestly say that for every time I've been "rounded down", I've been "rounded up" 15 or 20 times.
But there's probably a separate thread for that one!

Re the round up, you do know you have a right to demand the EXACT change, ie 4.97, hand over a fiver, if you want it, they MUST give you the 3 cents change.

Heard this on Liveline a while ago.

Salary Negotiator · 21-10-2019 8:47pm

4.97 should be rounded down to 4.95.

RobbingBandit · 21-10-2019 8:48pm

SuperValu in many areas charging €2.50+ for a can of monster energy including the monster ultra cans

jimmii · 21-10-2019 8:51pm

€4.65 is insane those large packs are £1.50 in our local place right now got a pack earlier. Be cheaper to buy them here and post them over!

PsychoPete · 21-10-2019 8:52pm

RobbingBandit wrote: »

SuperValu in many areas charging €2.50+ for a can of monster energy including the monster ultra cans

Like Centra charging €3.50 for 473ml redbull

NIMAN · 21-10-2019 8:55pm

jimmii wrote: »

€4.65 is insane those large packs are £1.50 in our local place right now got a pack earlier. Be cheaper to buy them here and post them over!

There was a deal last week to get 2 of those chocolate digestives in NI for £1.50

jimmii · 21-10-2019 8:57pm

NIMAN wrote: »

There is currently a deal to get 2 of those chocolate digestives in NI for £1.50

Thats crazy cheap! They're normally ~£2.50 for the large packs so that's pretty dam good! That I forgot to pick up my second pack lol.

NIMAN · 21-10-2019 8:58pm

jimmii wrote: »

Thats crazy cheap! They're normally ~£2.50 for the large packs so that's pretty dam good! That I forgot to pick up my second pack lol.

Maybe it was 2 smaller packets.

Edit: just checked one I had left! It was 2 x 316g packets for £1.50

WishUWereHere · 21-10-2019 9:14pm

Salary Negotiator wrote: »

4.97 should be rounded down to 4.95.

True, ok, then use 4.98 as an example.

bfa1509 · 21-10-2019 10:24pm

steinbock123 wrote: »

But I think the biggest rip-off ever invented is the "rounding up" lark,

I guarantee, in 50 or so years, this will be exposed for the scandal that it is (**waiting for the person who says "ah, its just a few cents"** :rolleyes:)

I could give a list as long as my arm of shops that only round in their own favor. A few months back I got petrol that came to 40.02. The girl behind the counter (granted she was new) asked for the 2 cents. I said "what about the rounding rule?" She says "That rule is only at retailers discretion". Yet every time it comes to 39.98, I don't get my 2 cents back! The profit that shops are making from this on a whole!

jimmii wrote: »

€4.65 is insane those large packs are £1.50 in our local place right now got a pack earlier. Be cheaper to buy them here and post them over!

When I see those digestives going in dunnes for ~€2, I often wish they were €4.65. They're a killer at midnight before going to bed!

jim salter · 21-10-2019 10:50pm

Virgin Media

Space Dog · 27-10-2019 8:31am

bfa1509 wrote: »

I could give a list as long as my arm of shops that only round in their own favor. A few months back I got petrol that came to 40.02. The girl behind the counter (granted she was new) asked for the 2 cents. I said "what about the rounding rule?" She says "That rule is only at retailers discretion". Yet every time it comes to 39.98, I don't get my 2 cents back! The profit that shops are making from this on a whole!

I pay mostly by card these days since all the retailers in my area are always rounding up but never down. I've brought it to their attention a few times when paying, but I'm tired of getting evil looks. There's no rounding for card payments so I'm not getting annoyed anymore.

Yourmama · 27-10-2019 9:31am

Space Dog wrote:

I pay mostly by card these days since all the retailers in my area are always rounding up but never down. I've brought it to their attention a few times when paying, but I'm tired of getting evil looks. There's no rounding for card payments so I'm not getting annoyed anymore.

This. I gave up cash altogether and only carry emergency 20 euro note in my wallet for months now. I also use Google pay so more often than not don't even have wallet on me anymore.

generalmental · 29-10-2019 10:10pm

steinbock123 wrote: »

ANY of the garage "shops", loads of examples, but a small bottle of Coke for €1.80/1.90/1.95 is ridiculous when priced against a 2litre bottle in the supermarket.
But I think the biggest rip-off ever invented is the "rounding up" lark, where something is priced at €4.97, you hand in a fiver but get no change. It really boils my piss! :mad: I can honestly say that for every time I've been "rounded down", I've been "rounded up" 15 or 20 times.
But there's probably a separate thread for that one!

When I was taking a course a few years back my lecturer told us all about a bank in America who shafted one of their employees out of her pension but she knew that the bank were up to no good. Supposeedly the bank were deducting/stealing 0.001 cent from all of its customers every week for years and not declaring it to the IRS. Turned out it ran to hundreds of millions over the years, she reported them to the IRS and they gave her 30 million as a thank you cause all the banks were at it.

odyssey06 · 29-10-2019 10:29pm

generalmental wrote: »

When I was taking a course a few years back my lecturer told us all about a bank in America who shafted one of their employees out of her pension but she knew that the bank were up to no good. Supposeedly the bank were deducting/stealing 0.001 cent from all of its customers every week for years and not declaring it to the IRS. Turned out it ran to hundreds of millions over the years, she reported them to the IRS and they gave her 30 million as a thank you cause all the banks were at it.

The SEC and other US institutions actually have formal whistleblower reward mechanisms.
https://www.whistleblower.gov/

Great idea.

Geuze · 01-11-2019 12:41pm

Sudocrem 400g, made in Ireland

Tesco Ireland = 11.90

Tesco UK = 5.80

5.80 GBP is about 6.75 euro.

Over 70% dearer here.

anewme · 02-11-2019 12:24pm

I posted on another thread about this but not got much feedback.

Wanted to buy household items through UK site and have delivered to NI.

Accepted order and payment taken online.

Few minutes later, order cancelled "we do not take orders direct from your Country".

I phoned and they waffled a bit and said it was because the card was registered to ROI that I must order through ROI, where Irish customers get ripped off.

There is almost 100% difference between the STG price and the Euro price.

I believe this is illegal under the geo-blocking rules and am going to challenge it.

WishUWereHere · 02-11-2019 1:20pm

anewme wrote: »

I posted on another thread about this but not got much feedback.

Wanted to buy household items through UK site and have delivered to NI.

Accepted order and payment taken online.

Few minutes later, order cancelled "we do not take orders direct from your Country".

I phoned and they waffled a bit and said it was because the card was registered to ROI that I must order through ROI, where Irish customers get ripped off.

There is almost 100% difference between the STG price and the Euro price.

I believe this is illegal under the geo-blocking rules and am going to challenge it.

OK to name and shame??

anewme · 02-11-2019 1:38pm

WishUWereHere wrote: »

OK to name and shame??

Not at the minute, but will do once I get more info. one way or the other as I intend going legal on it.

Large UK retailler with previous form for gouging irish customers.

silver2020 · 03-11-2019 9:31pm

anewme wrote: »

Not at the minute, but will do once I get more info. one way or the other as I intend going legal on it.

Large UK retailler with previous form for gouging irish customers.

why on earth would you still buy from them?

I don't shop in debenhams because they charge about 30% paddy tax. When I'm in the UK, I still won't shop in their stores as I simply will not give my custom to the company itself.

Marks and Spencer are similar. Classic men's shirts £45. Irish site, identical shirt €68.

tricky D · 03-11-2019 9:59pm

generalmental wrote: »

When I was taking a course a few years back my lecturer told us all about a bank in America who shafted one of their employees out of her pension but she knew that the bank were up to no good. Supposeedly the bank were deducting/stealing 0.001 cent from all of its customers every week for years and not declaring it to the IRS. Turned out it ran to hundreds of millions over the years, she reported them to the IRS and they gave her 30 million as a thank you cause all the banks were at it.

That kind of penny shaving was done by August "Gus" Gorman (Richard Prior) in Superman 3.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salami_slicing

TallGlass2 · 03-11-2019 10:03pm

Geuze wrote: »

Sudocrem 400g, made in Ireland

Tesco Ireland = 11.90

Tesco UK = 5.80

5.80 GBP is about 6.75 euro.

Over 70% dearer here.

And it's made in Baldoyle!

anewme · 03-11-2019 10:04pm

silver2020 wrote: »

why on earth would you still buy from them?

I don't shop in debenhams because they charge about 30% paddy tax. When I'm in the UK, I still won't shop in their stores as I simply will not give my custom to the company itself.

Marks and Spencer are similar. Classic men's shirts £45. Irish site, identical shirt €68.

I'm not going fo buy.

But I'm going g to report them fior for discrimination against Irush customers by how they have processed the order.

May come to nothing, but worth an email.

05-11-2019 4:48pm

2 examples from this week:

PTSB statement
Need a custom statement from the bank to file tax returns for last year. Online version only goes back 12 months, but need it from January 2018. Have to ring up and waiting for 20 mins. Finally get through and everything is ok until I get the "this type of historical data incurs a charge of €2.50 per page". Hang on a sec, per page? not per statement? Yes definitely per page.

I reluctantly agree, but then I'm told "because of the way our system is set up, it will require to be posted out in two separate envelopes no matter how large the statement is.So you'll get January in one envelope, and Feb - thru Dec in another".

Of course, this guarantees a minimum of 2 pages for the statement, or a fiver no matter what. Daylight robbery.
McHughs Off-Licence
Picture below. R.I.P. the old six-for-fiver days

rubadub · 05-11-2019 6:14pm

Deleted User wrote: »

[*]McHughs Off-Licence
Picture below. R.I.P. the old six-for-fiver days

that stuff is 9% in case anybody is wondering why it could possibly be so dear.

I think it is a 440ml can though so €7.73 per pint

Deleted User wrote: »

Spar Merrion Row. Who in their right mind is paying this for a standard packet of biscuits?

My guess would be people not spending their own money, staff sent out to "get a pack of chocolate digestives for the meeting/visitors". I wonder if there were any half decent priced biscuits too, some of these small convenience shops can have some good deals, if you are not fussy.

TallGlass2 · 05-11-2019 6:45pm

Deleted User wrote: »

McHughs Off-Licence
Picture below. R.I.P. the old six-for-fiver days

Has minimum pricing just landed?

05-11-2019 7:03pm

Nah, they're a bunch of cowboys. There was a work do on that night and I popped in to get a couple of small items, the only reason I was there is because it was lashing out so didn't want to go to the Tesco or SSG shopping centre. They sell the large share bags of waffles/skips/meanies for €2.99 a pop. thought I had taken a pic of those as well. That works out at as a dearer price per/kg than fillet steak, FFS.

At one stage they were good value. They do fancy rolls and sambos as they are a "gourmet" spar, and they were decent enough for a fiver. Especially considering a chicken fillet roll with more than 3 fillings is around the same price. Plus, you generally didn't have to wait around as they were pre-made.

Anyway, around the time of the VAT increase they upped the price of these from a fiver to €6.50......30% increase overnight. The thing i cannot fathom is, that they used to sell out regularly. That night I took the pics, there were loads left over. How does someone in a position of authority not see that this is actually costing them money in the long run.

05-11-2019 7:14pm

Found it.

TallGlass2 · 06-11-2019 9:48am

Deleted User wrote: »

How does someone in a position of authority not see that this is actually costing them money in the long run.

Totally agree, only place that can will end up is in the bin or heavily reduced.

silver2020 · 08-11-2019 10:42pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Found it.

In fairness, these are €2.59 in tesco, so not a big difference considering the extra costs of a convenience store

high_king · 08-11-2019 10:48pm

steinbock123 wrote: »

But I think the biggest rip-off ever invented is the "rounding up" lark, where something is priced at €4.97, you hand in a fiver but get no change.

I remember all the legions of clowns on forums like boards claiming how great an idea it was, and how handy it would be. No concept of the % inflation they conceded to. Turkeys voting for Christmas.

jmreire · 08-11-2019 10:53pm

All of the above explains why Tesco Executives call Ireland " Treasure Island ", never a truer word !!! And I guess they are not the only one's,,,,

Cazale · 08-11-2019 11:04pm

Deleted User wrote:

McHughs Off-Licence Picture below. R.I.P. the old six-for-fiver days

It's a 9% Double IPA which is what they cost.

L1011 · 08-11-2019 11:51pm

high_king wrote: »

I remember all the legions of clowns on forums like boards claiming how great an idea it was, and how handy it would be. No concept of the % inflation they conceded to. Turkeys voting for Christmas.

4.97 in the quoted example rounds down to 4.95

Unless you specifically only buy one or two items all the time you are very unlikely to end up over or under across an entire year on it.

2c on an average family shop would not even factor in to inflation; not that rounding is even counted in the CPI.

Would you prefer to pay more tax - more per capita than any potential loss of surreal shopping practices - for the state to keep making 1c and 2c coins?

Its more a case of those who don't understand it complaining about it, both before and after.

dartboardio · 08-11-2019 11:56pm

Circle K biggest rip off ever imo. Hate going there in the morning before work. €2 minimum for a bottle of water.

Oh actually in relation to the rounding rule, I was in MR price and bought a couple of things, it came to €5.05, I gave her the fiver and went to look for some change in my purse and she laughed and said 'you're grand, I'm not gonna ask you for 5 cent!'

I was like wtf, didn't realise the rounding rule works the other way, maybe it doesn't and she shouldn't be doing it I thought, who knows! Or is it at retailers discretion?

L1011 · 09-11-2019 12:01am

dartboardio wrote: »

Circle K biggest rip off ever imo. Hate going there in the morning before work. €2 minimum for a bottle of water.

Oh actually in relation to the rounding rule, I was in MR price and bought a couple of things, it came to €5.05, I gave her the fiver and went to look for some change in my purse and she laughed and said 'you're grand, I'm not gonna ask you for 5 cent!'

I was like wtf, didn't realise the rounding rule works the other way, maybe it doesn't and she shouldn't be doing it I thought, who knows! Or is it at retailers discretion?

€5.05 doesn't round to anything, its still €5.05. Retailer can decide to charge you fractionally less if they want to!

pummice · 09-11-2019 12:13am

Sadly in Ireland €50 is the new €20

Oberkon · 09-11-2019 12:22am

jmreire wrote: »

All of the above explains why Tesco Executives call Ireland " Treasure Island ", never a truer word !!! And I guess they are not the only one's,,,,

So true - my wife’s friends are English and they really are frugal dividing things down to the penny when out together etc . Complaining how expensive things are here etc

dartboardio · 09-11-2019 12:33am

pummice wrote: »

Sadly in Ireland €50 is the new €20

Definitely. Go into the local off licence to get some vodka and cigarettes for before a night out and end up spending €25

Went to the bagel factory today and had €5 change from €20 out of two bagels, one crisps and a soft drink

You really notice it when you go to other countries, anywhere really, Germany for example, transport is cheap as is food in supermarkets, alcohol, fags etc

Even UK, 8 pounds for a box of cigarettes. €13.50 here....

silver2020 · 09-11-2019 9:32am

Oberkon wrote: »

So true - my wife’s friends are English and they really are frugal dividing things down to the penny when out together etc . Complaining how expensive things are here etc

That would have been true a few years ago. Its now turned (thanks to aldi & lidl) and a general grocery shop in britain is more expensive (I've just returned after a 12 month stint there)

Of course if you just hone in on offers, you can make a case of x y & z being cheaper while ignoring the offers here of a, b & c. But life can't be lived on special offers alone.

It's also one of the reasons you don't hear of big shopping expeditions to Newry/Enniskillen from all corners of Ireland anymore

somesoldiers · 09-11-2019 9:35am

dartboardio wrote: »

Definitely. Go into the local off licence to get some vodka and cigarettes for before a night out and end up spending €25

Went to the bagel factory today and had €5 change from €20 out of two bagels, one crisps and a soft drink

You really notice it when you go to other countries, anywhere really, Germany for example, transport is cheap as is food in supermarkets, alcohol, fags etc

Even UK, 8 pounds for a box of cigarettes. €13.50 here....

I still have the odd smoke when am out, I have lads in the office that regularly go to Vilnius so get them to pick me up 200 for €39

Buddy97mm · 09-11-2019 10:04am

dartboardio wrote:

Even UK, 8 pounds for a box of cigarettes. â‚¬13.50 here....

Long time since cigarettes were
Â£8 in UK, more like Â£11/12 currently and have been regarded as more expensive than Ireland for cigarettes for some time.

high_king · 09-11-2019 4:01pm

L1011 wrote: »

4.97 in the quoted example rounds down to 4.95

Unless you specifically only buy one or two items all the time you are very unlikely to end up over or under across an entire year on it.

2c on an average family shop would not even factor in to inflation; not that rounding is even counted in the CPI.

Would you prefer to pay more tax - more per capita than any potential loss of surreal shopping practices - for the state to keep making 1c and 2c coins?

Its more a case of those who don't understand it complaining about it, both before and after.

and whoosh over you head again . . another Turkey looking forward to Christmas dinner. The actual point you've your head in the sand about, is that we were promised and told we must believe that rounding down would be as common as rounding up, but in the rip off real world . .surprise . . surprise . .this isn't happening as plenty of posters have testified, with shops claiming they are not obliged to round down, but round up whenever it suits them.

L1011 · 09-11-2019 5:55pm

high_king wrote: »

and whoosh over you head again . . another Turkey looking forward to Christmas dinner. The actual point you've your head in the sand about, is that we were promised and told we must believe that rounding down would be as common as rounding up, but in the rip off real world . .surprise . . surprise . .this isn't happening as plenty of posters have testified, with shops claiming they are not obliged to round down, but round up whenever it suits them.

What you claim isn't happening and even if it was you might end up down a few cent over a year. Till systems do the rounding automatically and one or two confused posters or posters reporting an occasional mistake doesn't mean it isn't being done properly the bulk of the time. Also - if you think there's any advantage to a retailer in holding on to at most five cent, in coin, on a fraction of transactions you have no idea of the cost and effort of coin handling.

Just pay by card if it annoys you that much. Or ask for your change and probably get 5c back as they don't have the small coins. Which most people will promptly fire in to a jar to never spend again

dartboardio · 09-11-2019 6:07pm

Buddy97mm wrote: »

Long time since cigarettes were
Â£8 in UK, more like Â£11/12 currently and have been regarded as more expensive than Ireland for cigarettes for some time.

Well NI, then...

Was in Belfast in August and got charged around 8 pounds for a box. To my disbelief.. Guess they've been forgotten about, as per!

09-11-2019 6:08pm

I paid over £12 last time I bought 20 Benson in Banbridge. I know they vary a lot more by brand than we do here, what were they?

stefanovich · 09-11-2019 6:09pm

48 euro per kilo Roquefort in Sheridans.

https://sheridanscheesemongers.com/product/roquefort-aoc/

dartboardio · 09-11-2019 6:09pm

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I paid over £12 last time I bought 20 Benson in Banbridge. I know they vary a lot more by brand than we do here, what were they?

Ah, must be because I bought a cheaper brand, Pall Mall or Mayfair or something like that

antimatterx · 09-11-2019 6:11pm

Eir - ****ing robbing bastards.

Last year I signed up for Eirsports so I could get BT Sports for Sky. It was 240 for 12 months.

During the summer they lost the rights to BT Sport, so my sub was basically useless (although they got the rights back a month later, but refused to put it back in the package). I bought it through Sky again as it was an option.

So anyway, last week the year was up, and they attempted to charge my card for another year (Lucky that card was expired) - 260 they wanted.

The only way to get rid of them was sign up to a 9.99/month deal and cancel after two months (for a service I will never use)

General rip off examples

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