Sir, – Conor Pope writes about the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) calling for meaningful penalties on businesses that break the law (“Consumer watchdog lacks teeth to take on law-breaking businesses, says chairman”, News, October 25th).
Some of the most widespread and noticeable examples of such lawbreaking businesses are licensed premises.
Owners of pubs are required by law (Retail Price (Beverages in Licensed Premises) Display Order, 1999) to clearly display a sample of prices for drinks for sale on the premises. Indeed this requirement is prominently displayed on the CCPC’s own website, yet these price lists are almost entirely absent from licensed premises. Buying a drink in a pub entails the customer paying for a product with no idea what it will cost until after it is purchased, by which time it is too late for the customer to decide if the transaction is to his or her satisfaction, which is a clear breach of basic contract law. If publicans want the return of the 9 per cent VAT rate, we need to see a corresponding reduction in the excessive prices being charged for drinks, especially in Dublin, and an adherence to the law regarding prominently displayed prices. – Yours, etc,
DAVID POWER,
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Lucan,
Co Dublin.
