Car dealerships, chemist and insurance firm fined

Two car dealerships, a chemist and an insurance brokerage have been convicted in Dublin District Court for breaches of consumer legislation.

Boots the Chemist Ltd pleaded guilty before Ms Justice Claire Leonard to four cases where goods were charged at the checkout at higher prices to those advertised on the shelves. The company was fined a total of €2,400, with €300 costs.

In a statement yesterday Boots said it was aware of its obligations and "very much regret the human errors that led to this prosecution". The company added that the prosecution related to one branch and steps had been taken to avoid this happening again.

Carroll and Roche Cars Ltd, of Newlands Cross, Co Dublin, was fined €500, with €300 costs, for failing to include the hire purchase cost of a vehicle in advertising material, contrary to the Consumer Credit Act 1995.

Mr Michael Carroll said yesterday the fine related to an advertisement in April 2001 which included the cash price of a vehicle and the price per week under hire purchase, but not the total hire purchase price. "There were a lot of garages falling into this trap at the time but we have since changed our advertising structures."

Drumcondra Renault, prosecuted under its company name B.M. Drumcondra Motors Ltd, was fined €1,000, with €300 costs, for failing to include the nature of a credit agreement and the number of instalments in its advertising material. A spokesman for Drumcondra Renault was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Penco Insurances Ltd, trading as Penco MGM, with offices in Coolock and Dublin 7, was fined €1,500, with €300 costs. The fine was in relation to displaying a rate of credit interest other than the annual percentage rate (APR).

A spokesman for the company, Mr Bernard Bennett, said the company had provided an interest rate as well as an APR in advertising in January of this year. The company changed its procedure in February.

The cases were taken by the Director of Consumer Affairs, Ms Carmel Foley, under the Consumer Information Act 1978, and and the Consumer Credit Act 1995.

Commenting on the convictions, she said: "All service providers should be aware that consumers have rights which are guaranteed by law."