Restaurant fined over price display

A food business in Dublin has been fined €1,750 and convicted for failing to display a price list.

Cuenca Limited, trading as La Boulangerie, 10 Upper Camden St, Dublin 2, was convicted in the Dublin District Court yesterday under the Retail Prices (Food in Catering Establishments) Display Order 1984.

The National Consumer Agency took the prosecution in relation to offences committed on September 8th, last year.

Chief executive of the agency Ann Fitzgerald said the decision by should remind all retailers of the importance of meeting their obligations under consumer protection law.

“Adherence by traders to pricing legislation has never been more important than in the current economic environment and allows consumers to know what price is being charged and make informed decisions regarding their purchasing,” she said.

The agency has wide ranging powers under the Consumer Protection Act, 2007 and a range of remedies to tackle breaches of pricing legislation.

Ms Fitzgerald said the majority of breaches of price display requirements are dealt with by the agency imposing on-the-spot fines on traders.

Some 34 such notices were issued in the first six months of this year across a range of retail sectors. The agency said a similar number is likely to be issued before the year end.

“However, the agency does not hesitate to prosecute if circumstances so warrant,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

She said regular “enforcement blitzes” are undertaken to determine compliance with price-display legislation, and to check that consumers are not charged more at the till than the price displayed.

Consumers with complaints about the absence of price information or misleading prices were urged to approach the retailer and to phone the agency at 1890 432432