Nearly two thirds of consumers do not trust that prices listed for products during sales are accurate, while a quarter of people's decisions to buy sale items are based on recommendations from social media influencers.
The findings are from research carried out by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) ahead of the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
According to the study, trust is higher among younger age groups, with more than half (52%) of 15- to 24-year-olds saying they trust the accuracy of sales prices.
The CCPC found that 15- to 24-year-olds are also the most likely age group to buy a sales item due to the recommendation of an influencer (40% vs 24% for over 25s).
Over half (59%) of respondents said they were unlikely to make a purchase during the upcoming sales, with one in five (21%) saying this was due to a lack of trust in deals.
Meanwhile, the CCPC research indicates that almost three in four (72%) consumers make unplanned purchases during a sale, with six in ten of those who made an unplanned purchase saying they regretted it.
The survey also showed a slight increase in the number of people who are aware that businesses must follow specific rules around sale pricing (70% in 2025 compared to 65% in 2024).
New regulations on sale pricing in Ireland were introduced in 2022, which require retailers to show discounts compared to the prior price.
The prior price is deemed to be the lowest price the product was on sale for in the previous 30 days, with businesses that do not comply subject to enforcement action.
Director of Communications with the CCPC, Gráinne Griffin, said sales can put consumers "under pressure to make fast purchasing decisions that they may not want to make".
"This can often lead to them spending more than they intended or buying something that they will later regret. That's why we strongly encourage consumers to stop and think before they rush into making a purchase. Make a list of what you need, create a budget and stick to it.
"For consumers who see recommendations from social media influencers, we would advise looking for advertising labels and doing your own research before making a purchasing decision. Influencers must make it clear if their posts are commercial in nature [they] must not mislead the consumer."
Black Friday takes place on Friday 28 November, with Cyber Monday three days later on 1 December.
For its research the CCPC interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,034 people in collaboration with Ipsos B&A in October.
