NCA warns ‘rip-off Ireland’ could return

CONSUMERS trying to budget for the recession are opening the way for a return to “rip-off Ireland” unless they demand lower prices for goods and services.

A new survey on consumer attitudes, published yesterday by the National Consumer Agency (NCA), shows a fall in the number of people who shop around for better prices, from 75% to 67%, indicating a level of complacency among shoppers.

The report also shows the number of people who rarely or never “shop around” for the best value increased over the same period, from 25% earlier last year to 33% in the latter part of 2010.