The Chairman of the Competition Authority said laws preventing below-cost selling should be lifted to bring down the price of groceries.
The Authority's chairman, Dr John Fingleton, also wants planning restrictions on big supermarkets dropped.
Dr Fingleton told the Oireachtas Enterprise Committee today that this would help cut the price of groceries here, which are reported to be 15% higher than in the UK.
The Authority said the fining of retailers who sell products below cost is sending out the wrong message, and it is not benefiting consumers.
