Irish consumers are paying higher shopping bills than their counterparts in the millionaires' playground of St Tropez, a study showed today.
The Táiniste, Ms Harney, said she was "concerned" by the finding and said the Government had ordered a report into rising costs.
She also called on people to use their "purchasing power" to force down prices after the study found a shopping trolley of goods in Ireland cost €296.31 compared with €232.82 in the south of France.
The on-line newsletter Retail Intelligencesurveyed the costs of 40 grocery and drink items, and discovered that a store in St Tropez sold 28 of the products more cheaply than a Dublin equivalent.
Excluding alcohol, the French total was €136 compared with €165 in Ireland. And despite its pride in being the home of Guinness, a 500ml can of the black stuff cost €2.09 in Ireland compared with just €1.32 in France.
The Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley, explained that the larger French population meant goods were bought in greater bulk, driving down costs.
"But of course that is not the whole story and that is why I am looking for a statement by the retailers in Ireland as to what their margins really are," she said.
"Let us decide for ourselves as consumers whether they are fair of whether there are hidden excess profits being made," she added.
PA