Consumer contacts report 2024

The report

• 44,247 consumers contacted the CCPC last year – over 5,000 more than in 2023, an increase of 13%
• Issues with cars were the biggest call driver, with almost 5,500 contacts about vehicles
• Consumers spent an average of €6,000 on each product or service they had an issue with
• Almost 9,500 people contacted the CCPC about faulty goods or services

Almost 45,000 consumers contacted the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (CCPC) National Consumer Helpline last year, a significant increase of more than 5,000 on the previous year.

Published today ahead of World Consumer Rights Day (Saturday 15 March), the CCPC’s 2024 Helpline Report outlines the sectors, issues and traders raised by consumers who contacted the CCPC for information on their rights.

Consumer costs and small claims

• Vehicles and transport topped the list of sectors consumers contacted the CCPC about
• Telecommunications and home building and improvements were the next most common sectors
• Consumers reported spending an average of €6,013 on the goods or services they contacted the helpline about

CCPC spokeswoman Grainne Griffin said:

We’re very glad to see that a growing number of consumers are checking their rights with the CCPC when they run into difficulties. Almost 45,000 consumers contacted us last year and we were able to explain their rights or point them towards an agency or service that could help them.

Our helpline reports shine a light on the challenges faced day to day by consumers; these aren’t trivial, and neither are the costs involved. The average cost quoted by a consumer calling our helpline was just over €6,000. This is driven by very high costs related to second‑hand cars and home improvements.

Unfortunately for those consumers, they will not be able to use the small claims process to resolve their issue, as the Small Claims Court only deals with cases up to €2,000. This limit urgently needs to be addressed.

Faulty goods and services, problems with cars

Grainne Griffin said:

Many consumers who got in touch were having real trouble with something they bought and struggling to get redress. Over 9,000 people contacted us about faulty goods or services, while more than 2,000 got in touch about issues cancelling a contract.

Vehicles and transport topped the list of sectors again, with over 5,000 people contacting us about problems buying cars. We have called on the Minister for Transport to introduce an online car history portal, bringing together information from insurers and the NCT and making it free to the public.

This would help car buyers avoid unsafe, crashed or clocked cars.