Unscrupulous traders profiteering by exploiting Covid-19 warned

Whilst recognising the efforts of retailers to keep chains open during difficult times, the joint warning comes after complaints from consumers in relation to price gouging.

Price gouging or profiteering is the practice of increasing the price of goods or services unreasonably.

Customers across Northern Ireland have reported seeing small bottles of hand sanitiser being sold for £13.50, eight kitchen rolls for £15, individual toilet rolls being sold from a multi-pack, liquid paracetamol increasing from £3.69 to £7.49 and meat packs more than doubling in price.

Trading Standards Service has already issued a number of enforcement notices to traders engaging in profiteering as well as monitoring online shopping sites, social media ‘buy and sell’ pages and online marketplaces.

Having received a high volume of reports of price gouging, Damien Doherty, Chief Inspector of the Trading Standards Service, said: “Like most people, my Consumer Council colleagues and I are concerned by the behaviour of a small number of businesses at this time.

“The vast majority of businesses have responded responsibly and demonstrated all that is good about business in Northern Ireland, however, there is a minority engaged in profiteering.

“Those inflating prices to profit off the backs of their communities are adding to their distress and may be severely damaging their reputation.

“Consumers in Northern Ireland are likely to remember those businesses who attempted to profiteer and may well vote with their wallets once this crisis ends.

“I would encourage anyone who feels that business has unfairly inflated the price of goods or services to contact us at Consumerline on 0300 123 6262.”

John French, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council, said: “We are aware it is only a very small number of sellers who are unfairly inflating their prices.

“The Consumer Council acknowledges that the majority of traders are not doing this and important to celebrate the good work retailers are doing to keep the supply chain going under such challenging circumstances.

“However, we have seen evidence that price gouging is taking place and we are calling on retailers to ensure they are giving consumers a fair price.”

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a taskforce to crackdown on businesses that may be engaging in price gouging and to consider whether there have been any legal breaches.

CMA will take enforcement action if it finds that competition or consumer law has been broken and is asking consumers to report business that are behaving unfairly by visiting https://www.coronavirus-business-complaint.service.gov.uk/

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you