Top of the list:

Reversing measures in Budget 2009 which are driving up prices, including the VAT increase to 21.5% and transport fares

Funny, eh?

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) – Question 81:

To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the development cost of the National Consumer Agency’s Economiser website page and the number of unique visitors to the site per month since its establishment.

Richard Bruton (Minister, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Deputy’s question relates to the development and operation of certain elements of the National Consumer Agency’s website. These are operational matters for the Agency itself in respect of which I have no direct function. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agency for direct reply.

It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any follow up on this question. It’d be great to see what kind of traffic the NCA websites gets, and what return that is for the money invested in them.

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) - Question 73:

To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of funding received by the National Consumer Agency in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011. [29327/11]

Richard Bruton (Minister, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Dublin North Central, Fine Gael):

The National Consumer Agency received €6.105 million and €5.578 million by way of public funds in the years 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Up to the end of September 2011 the Agency has received a total of €3.774 million in public funds. The Agency’s total allocation for 2011 is €6.366 million.

From 1st January 2011 the Agency assumed responsibility for the consumer education and information functions of the Financial Regulator.

The Agency has received additional public funds to cover the cost of the exercise of certain elements of this function, albeit that these funds and the further costs of exercising this function will be fully recouped by the imposition of a levy on prescribed regulated financial service entities later this year.

So, assuming we get an average of 10 crappy price comparison surveys per year, and a few meaningless prosecutions for failing to display prices, and a few slaps on the wrists for garages that clock cars, that’s on average €500,000 per activity from this shower per year.

I think this is going to be an interesting proposition for the Competition Authority, and the government. It could also give us great insight into how the future super-quango combination of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency will operate.

While the Competition Authority will make the decision on the acquisition, it’s the National Consumer Agency at the moment who have all the information on pricing across the grocery market.

I personally don’t think that allowing the acquisition to go ahead will be good for Irish consumers. You can read more here.

I thought it might be worthwhile to bring together the best of those Twitter tips forwarded on to Margaret at that time.

• Use Pigsback.com grocery coupons – Oh I think the coupons on Pigsback.com are fantastic (get link), I got discount of my sun dishwasher tablets yesterday & super milk, they’re fab (@AineOFarrell)
• Beware of % extra free deals – Watch out for 50% extra free nonsense. Price per kilo is best guide, less room for entrapment (JoyceHickey)
• Bring a calculator – bring a calculator when shopping…seriously, 3 special offers of same product but varied quantities, had to work out cheap one (@MitchellNicola)
• Keep an eye on special offers – This ValueIreland page might help #groceryshopping > list of supermarket grocery special offers updated each week (put in actual link) (@ValueIreland)
• But beware of offers too good to be true – it’s an obvious one but don’t be blinded by special offers. Always check the unit cost of the item (€x per kg). (@lecraic)
• Ignore multi-packs – Only buy what you need – ignore multibuys. (Except for books where gluttony is encouraged. Books are groceries, right?) (@jenny_heller)
• Buy non-perishables in bulk – look out for worthwhile deals on your household standards and stock up your freezer/pantry/etc. (@zenbuffy)
• Know the science of supermarket pricing – The best value deals are on products you consume at a fixed rate. Beware of expandable consumption (@conalhenry)
• Make a shopping list – Make a list before you go – stick to it, avoid supermarket’s ploys – fresh bread, fast music and POS temptations! (@Clodaghdc)
• Save time and help others – Save time by helping the person in front unload their trolley so they can pack. Especially if they have a kid (@JoyceHickey)
• Don’t go shopping when hungry – make sure to eat before you go grocery shopping!! (@jenblogsbooks)
• Leave the kids at home – Another tip don’t take your kids shopping with you if you can avoid it as they can’t avoid temptation & want junk (@SimonPRepublic)
• Shop alone – top tip is don’t shop with your partner or toddler! Quieter & I can stick to my list then, done in 10 minutes (@PaulMWatson)
• Shop in only one store – shop in one supermarket, so you know where everything is: that way you are less likely to impulse buy. (@mswolfie)
• Shop online – It stops you putting all those unnecessary extras into your trolley. #outofsightisoutofmind (@taunyagrogan)
• Do a “main” shop, not lots of “mini” shops – don’t go for a few bits and pieces, you always end up spending more (@Avoidanceman)
• Shop late in the day – go shopping close to closing time, they always have specials on (@Avoidanceman)
• Walk to the shops – if possible, shop local, shop daily, walk to shop – spend less. ps the walking to bit is important ….. arm ache of heavy bags, minimises excess buying. (@talentcoop)
• Shop local – I shop in local butchers and get deals buying a few items at once, ends up cheaper than supermarket, meat and service is better too (@IrelandGuide)
• Only bring the money that you’ll need – Bring out only the cash to cover your shopping list (@Sinabhfuil)
• Delegation – get someone else to do it (the shopping that is) (@siobhwithafada)

I think I’m in agreement with most of those tips – though maybe not the one that suggests shopping in only one store. With our retail grocery market the way it is at the moment (mostly non-competitive), it is important to keep an eye out on the special offers available across the different stores each time you go shopping. They vary widely across stores, so if you have the ability to shop across different stores, you’ll possibly save more.

What do you think? Do you agree with these? Do you have any other tips or tricks that you use when you’re doing your grocery shopping?

Ryanair exhibit A. Looked up fare yesterday, total £123.00. Returned today and fare is £237.oo. Flushed cookies. Fare is back to £123.00.

It’s a sneaky trick, but it’s nothing new. Your can read an article here on how cookies can cost you money that I wrote back in 2009.

If you’re not sure on how to clear the cookies from your computer if you think you’re losing out because of this, just search Google for the browser that you’re using with the words “clear my cookies” to find instructions. Some browsers will allow you set this automatically as well so that the cookies are cleared each time you close down your browser – but that’s maybe a bit extreme.

It was a regular question from members of the opposition during the last Dail to ask Fianna Fail / Green ministers when the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority merger was going to actually go ahead.

This merger was announced first in the 2009 budget (way back in October 2008), but nothing has been done to progress this merger since. I wrote about this previous, guessing that it’s a merger that wasn’t welcomed by the Competition Authority in particular.

As an example of the previous opposition questioning, back in October 2010, Joe McHugh TD (FG -Donegal NE) asked the following question:

To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his views on the changes in the organisation structures and delivery of back office support which have been made since the announcement of the merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority; the values of the savings made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The then Minister responsible, Batt O’Keefe TD didn’t answer the question directly, merely filling space and time with a non-statement.

We’ve now been treated to a new government and thankfully, a new opposition, yet we’re still getting the same questions asked, and not answered.

On the 20th of April, Willie O’Dea TD (FF – Limerick City) asked the following question of the Taoiseach:

When can we expect to see the consumer and competition Bill that will merge the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency?

To which, Enda Kenny responded (or not really):

I cannot give the Deputy an accurate answer. We do not yet have a date for the Bill’s introduction. I shall report its progress as it moves through the system.

I think it’s enormously disappointing how poor Fine Gael have been in Government since they’ve taken over. They had such a great opportunity (in so many ways) to show they were different from Fianna Fail, yet they’ve shown nothing to prove that they’re any different in any way.

There’s more soundbites being published, more pithy remarks in response to journalist questions, and the odd radio and tv appearance here and there.

All reactionary! Nothing pro-active at all.

When was the last time you were aware of a consumer campaign being launched in the interests of Irish consumers by either the Consumers Association of Ireland or the National Consumer Agency?

I thought I’d do a little to keep track of what our consumer watchdogs are saying – just in case they might come up with anything interesting. Below, from now on, I’ll update the listing of links with anything that they’re quoted saying in the media.

You never know, we might actually find that they’re looking after our interests, rather than just their own.