Rip-off Dublin leaves a bitter taste in mouth of chocoholics

DUBLIN is a rip-off capital for people who have a sweet tooth.

It’s the most expensive place to buy sweets and chocolates.

A nationwide survey of eight popular brands last month revealed Dublin to be dearest in almost all cases.

“I am amazed that prices can vary so much,” said Director of Consumer Affairs Carmel Foley, whose inspectors did the research.

“It is important that consumers realise that they can save money if they are price -vigilant and buy where they can get the best value,” she added.

Covering 138 retail stores across the country, the survey revealed a huge gap of 25c to 33c between the cheapest and the dearest prices.

Michael Kilcoyne, chairman of the Consumers Association of Ireland, advised people to avoid buying sweets and chocolates on “impulse” in outlets that charged high prices.

Instead, consumers could buy most of these bars by the packet in supermarkets “for half the price,” he claimed.

The survey showed O’Connor’s of Market Street in Ennis gave the best value for a Milky Way bar at 35c.

With a recommended retail price of 40c, the same bar cost 60c at three Dublin outlets (SuperValu, Fortunestown, No 1 Shop in Andrew Street and Mullins at Heuston Station) and Mace Maxol station, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

The Centra store in Dublin’s Westmoreland Street was found to be dearest for five of the eight items and second-dearest for the other three.

Here, Jelly Tots (RRP 55c) cost 79c, with the Corner Shop in the Ilac Centre charging 80c. At Superquinn branches they cost just 52c.

Smarties (RRP 58c) were cheapest in O’Connor’s, Nenagh, at Rochfords of Mullingar and in Maxol Rooney, Kinnegad, at a price of 55c.

Centra in Westmoreland Street was dearest at 85c This shop was also dearest for Kit Kat (RRP 58c) at 89c, while Superquinn and Tesco supermarkets were cheapest, at 56c and 58c respectively.

Aero bars (RRP 70c) cost 90c in Nearbuy, Clonsilla, Dublin but were 30c cheaper at Statoil, Castlebar and Dunnes Stores, Headford Road, Galway.

A similar price gap was found with Maltesers (RRP 62c) which cost 89c in Centra, Westmoreland Street but 59c in O’Connors of Nenagh and Quinn’s of Ballybay, Co Monaghan.