Analysis: These simple, quick initiatives could deliver financial relief, promote fairer markets and strengthen consumer protections
The past few years have been particularly difficult for consumers, marked by record increases in the cost of living and little indication of relief in the near future. As we approach the Dáil summer recess, now is an opportune moment for the Government to act on several straightforward policy measures.
These low-hanging fruit initiatives could deliver tangible financial relief, promote fairer markets, and strengthen consumer protections. While some of these areas are already under review, many have stalled amid shifting priorities and limited political momentum.
Strengthening consumer protection
A long-overdue reform is the passage of the Consumer Protection (Loyalty Penalty and Customer Complaints) Bill, first introduced in 2021. The bill would ban the widespread practice of penalising loyal customers, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, insurance and utilities, by offering better deals only to new customers. This forces consumers to switch providers annually just to avoid paying more, a burden that disproportionately affects older people and those less comfortable navigating comparison tools.
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In addition, the bill aims to hold service providers accountable for poor customer service. Strengthening enforcement powers would provide a credible deterrent and incentivise genuine improvements across the sector. The Government should prioritise its enactment.
Enhancing price transparency
Opaque pricing practices have become increasingly common, and frustrating, for consumers. A key example is event ticketing, where the advertised price often excludes booking fees, which are only revealed at checkout. Additionally, it's unclear how many tickets are actually available at the advertised price, or how many are allocated to presales or corporate hospitality. This lack of transparency erodes trust.
Hotels also frequently inflate prices following major event announcements. Some go so far as to cancel existing bookings and re-list rooms at higher rates, a practice many rightly view as exploitative. Anecdotally, it can be cheaper to attend a concert abroad, including paying for flights and accommodation, than to stay a single night in Dublin. This should raise red flags about the state of competition and fairness in the domestic hospitality sector.
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The Government should consider mandating that the advertised price of any product or service include all unavoidable fees, starting with booking charges for events. Furthermore, hotels should be required to honour confirmed bookings, regardless of changes in demand.
Mid-contract price increases, another common gripe, could be addressed through transparency requirements similar to those in the UK, where any increase must be clearly indicated as a monetary amount. Customers should also be shown a contract's total expected cost up front, akin to how energy providers display estimated annual bills.
Reducing over-reliance on private operators
Government policy has leaned heavily on private comparison tools and platforms, such as Bonkers.ie or Switcher.ie, to help consumers navigate markets like broadband, insurance and loans. While useful, these platforms are commercial enterprises with inherent conflicts of interest.
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At the same time, many consumers lack financial literacy and may not fully understand the long-term implications of offers like low monthly personal contract plans for car payments or buy-now-pay-later schemes. These products are often marketed in a way that emphasises benefits and obscures risks.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) currently lacks the resources and scope to provide the kind of public services needed to address these challenges. With expanded funding and remit, the CCPC could take on a much larger role in consumer education, comparison tools, and price tracking, including a public grocery price database with historical trends. This could also be utilised to track per unit prices for shrinkflation.
The first port of call for consumer awareness should be a public and impartial body, not a private business with a financial stake in consumer choices.
Make it easier to switch bank accounts
Switching banks in Ireland remains a cumbersome and stressful process. The burden is on consumers to verify that all direct debits and payments have transferred correctly, which discourages switching and reduces market competition.
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A streamlined, digital switching process, where consumers could select their new provider and accounts online with just a few clicks, would dramatically improve user experience. Documentation could follow as needed, but the core process should be intuitive and low-friction.
Transport and mobility
Another often-overlooked aspect of consumer costs is transportation, particularly for those living in areas poorly served by public transit. Travel expenses for commuting, accessing services or attending events can represent a significant portion of household budgets. The Government could ease this burden by expanding fare caps, increasing access to multi-modal travel passes and ensuring affordability across regions.
In the private vehicle market, the growth of personal contract plans and leasing arrangements raises concerns about predatory lending and poor transparency. Many consumers are enticed by low monthly payments without a clear understanding of balloon payments or long-term costs. Regulatory oversight must catch up to ensure that car financing products are sold responsibly, with full and fair disclosure of terms.
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Tackle energy poverty
Ireland's growing energy poverty crisis is another area that demands urgent attention. Current policy responses have focused primarily on short-term subsidies, but these do not address the root causes. Many affected households live in poorly insulated homes with outdated, fossil-fuel heating systems.
While home retrofitting incentives exist, they typically require an up-front investment or the ability to borrow, resources many low-income households lack. As a result, those with the greatest need are often least able to access the benefits of lower energy bills.
At a time when many households are struggling to keep up, acting on these proposals is both good policy and common sense.
The Government should introduce long-term, interest-free (or very low-interest) retrofit loans, secured against the property and means-tested to ensure equity. Those in the lowest income brackets could qualify for zero up-front costs. Additionally, landlords should be able to access heavily subsidised schemes to improve rental standards across the board.
These proposed changes, ranging from pricing transparency and consumer protections to financial literacy and energy equity, represent practical, impactful measures that the Government could implement quickly. They would offer direct benefits to consumers, enhance market fairness and reduce structural vulnerabilities. At a time when many households are struggling to keep up, acting on these proposals is both good policy and common sense.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
