Online shoppers facing discrimination

EU online shoppers, including Irish people, still face unjustified discrimination due to nationality and place of residence.

A report from the European Consumer Centre Network shows that some traders practice internet geo-blocking to prevent certain EU consumers' access to services.

An Irish shopper was recently charged €155 by a UK online trader for a dress after using an Irish credit card even though the same product was sold for £95 to British customers.

Martina Nee of the European Consumer Centre Network in Dublin said: "The ECC-Net is calling on greater clarity under the service directive for what is discrimination, what business practices can traders use, because in certain circumstances there are situations where traders may not be able to apply services.

"So there needs to be better clarity on that and there needs to be stronger enforcement when in breach of the curve."