Irish shoppers paying highest EU prices

Irish shoppers are paying some of the highest prices in Europe for essential goods, according to a new study.

The study, by Retail Intelligence, shows Irish consumers are paying around 23% more for their weekly shopping than French consumers, who earn higher salaries.

A trolley of staple items in a Dublin supermarket cost just over €296, while the same goods cost just €232 in St Tropez, the millionaires’ playground in the south of France.

Meat sauces and soft drinks were among the items that were significantly more expensive in Ireland, while even a can of Guinness was more than 70c cheaper in France than in Dublin.

Consumer associations have called on supermarkets and manufacturers to explain these exuberant prices.