Consumer contacts report H1 2025

The sectors

Vehicles and transport led the list of sectors that consumers contacted the CCPC about, while the top traders named by consumers contacting the helpline included Ryanair, Eir and Sky.

• 20,526 consumers contacted the CCPC helpline, mostly by phone, email and webform
• Consumers reported spending an average of €6,400 on the product or service they had an issue with
• 4,724 contacts related to faulty goods and services
• The CCPC’s free online Money Tools were used 352,655 times

Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications, said:

Consumer contacts to our helpline are vital in directing our work, particularly in enforcement. The information provided by consumers helps us to identify rogue traders, patterns of potential law breaking and means we can target our resources for maximum impact. This year, unannounced inspections by CCPC officers, often backed by intelligence gathered from our helpline, have uncovered consumer law breaches in shops, pubs, restaurants and car dealerships around Ireland.

Informing car and home-buyers

Consumers contacted the CCPC helpline about goods and services with a reported total value of €56 million. The highest average spend was on vehicles and transport (€18,716) and home building and improvements (€13,443). Consumer contacts also direct our research and advocacy work.

Grainne Griffin said:

Buying a car or a home are two of life’s most significant financial decisions. Making the wrong choice can be very expensive. This year, we have published in-depth research with practical recommendations that would make a huge difference for car buyers and homebuyers in Ireland.

Earlier this year, we published a report calling for the government to create an online car history portal. This would allow consumers to check important information about a car’s mileage, past accidents, safety recalls and import status before buying a used car. Recently, we also called for more transparency in the homebuying process. Our homebuyers report called for the necessary information about a property to be made more accessible and available earlier in the homebuying process.

Buyer Beware: Shopping online

4,419 consumers contacted the helpline about an online purchase, with 17% of purchases coming from businesses outside of the EU.

Grainne Griffin added:

We’ve seen an increase in consumers contacting us about online purchases. We recommend buying from businesses based in Ireland or other EU countries, where your consumer rights are strong. This means that if you buy a product online and the product doesn’t reflect the reviews – or if you’ve changed your mind – you have a 14-day right to cancel and receive a full refund.

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers should be very cautious of exclusively five-star reviews or amazing deals that are out of step with other suppliers. Always do your research and if you spot a red flag, it’s better to spend your money elsewhere.

When shopping online, the CCPC advises consumers to take precautions including:

• Buyer beware: If a product is sold out everywhere but an unfamiliar website, research the company before buying.
• Browse before you buy: Reputable companies will always list ways to get in touch with them. If a website does not have a ‘Contact us’ page with a phone number, email address and postal address, it could be fraudulent.
• Pay securely: Consider using online payment services such as PayPal or a pre-paid credit card.
• Keep the receipts: Keep all records and details of your interactions with the trader in case an issue arises.

Personal finance

352,465 people visited the CCPC’s online Money Tools, which allow users to find the financial products that suit them best, calculate costs and create budgets.

The report also revealed that 1,389 consumers contacted the helpline about personal finance. Motor insurance topped the list of personal finance queries, followed by mortgages and current accounts.