Greater transparency over supply of graduation gowns recommended

Graduation gowns can cost as high as €90-100.

A number of technological universities have said they will change their procurement practices following a probe by the consumer watchdog into the sourcing of gowns for graduation ceremonies.

The matter arose after a complaint to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) alleging potentially anti-competitive conduct from Atlantic Technological University Donegal, formerly Letterkenny IT.

ATU Donegal is an amalgamation of institutes of technology also based in Sligo, Mayo and Galway.

The complainant had said that the college had led graduates to believe that they should only source their graduation gowns from one supplier. The person said that the communication from the college was “anti-competitive in nature”.

This wasn’t the first time the CCPC had probed the issue of gowns, the cost of which can vary to as high as €90-100.

While universities run public tender competitions to choose a gown supplier, there are so few suppliers in the market that concerns were expressed that a small number of companies were frequently appointed by institutions for repeat, long-running contracts.

Following an engagement process in 2017, the consumer watchdog received commitments from some of the main universities such as Trinity, National University of Ireland colleges and the University of Limerick to put measures in place to facilitate more competition and increase the transparency around the supply of gowns and graduation photography.

However, the CCPC did not engage with Letterkenny IT at the time and received no commitments in this regard. Following its most recent probe, the watchdog said there was no contravention of competition law by ATU Donegal or any of the other ATU campuses.

The institutions nevertheless voluntarily agreed to the same set of commitments made by the other colleges in 2017.

Furthermore, the CCPC sought and obtained an agreement with the other recently established technological universities to all follow these commitments. It includes Technological University Dublin, Technological University of the Shannon, South East Technological University, and Munster Technological University.

As part of the agreements, these universities will reduce the length of supply contracts to no more than two years, with a potential one-year extension, for the on-campus supply and fitting of graduation gowns.

It will also allow for the decoupling of photography and gown supply contracts, and mean the university has to state clearly on its website that students may source gowns from other suppliers.

“These commitments will facilitate competition and ensure increased transparency in the supply of graduation gowns,” the CCPC concluded.