More examples of good value in NI, poor value in RoI

Surely this should be "RIP OFF SKY" ?
And/or lazy consumers - e.g. those who don't bother to avail of comparable FTA satellite TV/radio for a once off fee to cover any hardware installation (and not even that if you have SKY gear installed and cancel after one year's subscription) but prefer to pay "rip off" charges instead?
 
Small cartons of Milupa Aptamil 2 (baby food) 50p last week in Sainsbury's, and €1.19 in Tesco.

Joe where was that Sainsbury's store ?
I might be off to load up the car trailer one of these weekends
 
I came across the following classic quote, which indicates that this problem is not a new one.


Liam O'Flaherty A Tourist's Guide to Ireland written in ...... 1929




(quote ref: Page 46 of Wolfhound Press edition, published in 1998 IR£5.99, now for sale for GBP£2.00 in Bargain Books, Enniskillen )
 
A good example is Sky. If anyone gets the fliers in UK magazines or whatever, compare the cost. I think the Basic package is £16/month. This also includes broadband and phone calls.

I have the basic package here for €30/month.
Actually this isn't a good example, basic Sky in the UK is 16 pound in Ireland it's 20 euro. I believe Irish consumers also get more channels on this mix than UK customers as the Irish channels are included. I'd guess however few in the UK or Ireland are on this most basic package, as it involves downgrading.

Maybe a better example would be RTE who were charging 50c for texts votes for Eurovision, BBC were charging 15p for phone call votes. Weren't RTE running the euro ripoff story all week?
 
I see Brian Cowan said today that he is going to take action against the big supermarkets/retailers if they don't align their Euro prices to the Sterlign equivalent they are charging.

Good on him.
 
I see Brian Cowan said today that he is going to take action against the big supermarkets/retailers if they don't align their Euro prices to the Sterlign equivalent they are charging.

Good on him.

What can he do though?
 
Saw a new example of rip-off Ireland in a local shop on the way to play football the other day.

I was going to buy Lucozade Sport and seen one with 25% extra free. Paid for it and thought it was expensive. On leaving the shop I walked past the shelf and looked at the price labels underneath the drinks.

The 25% extra FREE one was 20% more expensive than the ordinary one.

As they say, no such thing as something for FREE>

I have a good mind to report them to whoever produces Lucozade, if I thought it would do any good.
 
The 25% extra FREE one was 20% more expensive than the ordinary one.

That takes the biscuit. Seriously though this whole rip off culture is causing me to feel very angry and frustrated. I need an outlet for this. Does anyone recall the uproar in Greece when they joined the Euro? Like here, prices were rounded up to an even figure. Consumers there, unlike here, decided enough was enough and organized a mass protest. I'm not saying that's what we should do but, if one were organized here, I would deffo be there.
 
I have a good mind to report them to whoever produces Lucozade, if I thought it would do any good.
Why not just check the prices of goods more carefully before purchasing the next time? It was your own fault that you paid "too much". Besides - what to you expect the manufacturer to do? Try to enforce RRPs which would simply be yet another barrier to competition? Why didn't you bring the item back before leaving the shop, complain and get a refund or replacement (i.e. the cheaper product)?

That takes the biscuit. Seriously though this whole rip off culture is causing me to feel very angry and frustrated. I need an outlet for this.
Why not exercise your right as a consumer to make informed purchases at what you consider the most competitive outlets? That's the best way to engage in direct action and effect change. On the other hand...
Consumers there, unlike here, decided enough was enough and organized a mass protest. I'm not saying that's what we should do but, if one were organized here, I would deffo be there.
... if that's how you feel then why don't YOU organise one rather than waiting for somebody else to do all the hard work? Or maybe you just want to bleat about the issue rather than actually doing something?
 
I was in Newry on Saturday and a number of shops was given € to the £. Notice in Saturday's Indo that a number of shops in Belfast were given the same rate for the weekend. Debenhams were given approx 81 cent to the £. The other thing I noticed that alot of shops had notices on their doors or in the window for fulltime and partime staff. The carpark had about 75% cars with republic number plates. 4 hours free parking in the Quays. I was also parked for approx 2 hours in the Buttercrane for free. 5 hours free parking (that would costs me €5 at home)
 
5 hours free parking would cost €5 in the Free State? Now that IS a rip-off.

You are saying it is a rip-off not me. I know €1 per hour isn't expensive for parking in the republic but it is €1 per hour dearer then Newry.
 

Personally I wasn't overly maddened about the different prices.

I was giving the example more to show how much of a con it can be to shop in the RoI, and the reason I am delighted that I live right on the border, where I often get to buy my Lucozade in packs of 4 at half price when the NI supermarkets or shops run promotions on it.
 
I think it a bit simplistic to use this this as an example of "how much of a con it can be to shop in the RoI" when its not unknown for retailers in NI or GB to do likewise.
 
Personally I wasn't overly maddened about the different prices.
In that case why would you bother having ...
... a good mind to report them to whoever produces Lucozade, if I thought it would do any good.


Of course if you are not really bothered by alleged "rip offs" and "cons" (or what I might term simple pricing discrepancies) then it seems odd to bother posting and complaining about them here...
 
They had a piece on TV3 news yesterday evening about a guy who has set up a service to collect Irish shoppers, drive them up North, let them out at Sainsburys and then collect them when theyve done the shopping and bring them home again. He stated the first trip was free and if it went down well and the shoppers thought theyd be interested in a regular trip he had every intention of setting it up.
There were a number of housewives interviewed making statements like 'Ive saved half of what Id usually spend on groceries', 'Ive saved at least 70 euro', 'oh Ill definitely be back, theres huge savings' etc....
It would seem that shoppers are starting to vote with their feet on this.