What we do
About the CCPC
The CCPC is the statutory body responsible for enforcing and promoting compliance with competition, consumer protection and product safety law. The CCPC also has important and expanding roles in relation to digital markets and data.
Our aim is to make markets work better for consumers. Consumers benefit from competitive markets as firms are incentivised to produce better products and services at lower prices. Consumer protection law creates rights for consumers and imposes corresponding obligations on traders that must be honoured. CCPC market surveillance teams keep Irish markets safe by recalling, withdrawing or preventing the entry of unsafe or non compliant products.
We represent consumer interest, providing research, policy recommendations and a strong voice in public debates to promote competition and consumer welfare. We inform and empower consumers by providing information on their rights, personal finance and product safety, through our consumer helpline, our website (ccpc.ie), public awareness campaigns and our various financial education initiatives. We encourage compliance by providing information and guidance to businesses on their obligations.
The CCPC mission, vision and values
Our mission
Use our knowledge, skills and powers to promote competition and enhance consumer welfare.
Our vision
Open and competitive markets where consumers are protected, and businesses compete.
Our values
Open communication, empowerment, independence, ambition and excellence.
What we do
Our strategic goals 2024 - 2026
We enforce consumer, competition and product safety law and ensure compliance
We will use all our tools, including our new powers, to increase enforcement and compliance outcomes. We do this to ensure that consumers can trust that markets are working in their interests.
We investigate suspected breaches of the law and can take formal enforcement action where needed, up to and including bringing cases before the courts. Alongside this, we provide clear information and practical guidance to help businesses understand their obligations and support consumers to know and exercise their rights, working with other regulators and partners where appropriate to promote fair, well‑functioning markets across the Irish economy.
We empower and inform
We ensure consumers are empowered and informed to make sound choices, particularly in complex and changing markets.
We provide information about your consumer rights, personal finance and product safety; through a consumer helpline, our website, public awareness campaigns and through our various financial education initiatives.
While the CCPC cannot take cases on the behalf of individual consumers, our staff screen all the calls to our helpline and other reports, and will act where we find potential breaches of the law.
We advocate and research
We are the leading voice in promoting open and competitive markets and representing the interests of consumers. We make markets work better for consumers by representing their interests nationally and internationally.
We research how markets work in practice and highlight issues that may harm consumer welfare. We use evidence, data and market analysis to identify problems such as unfair practices, poor competition or barriers to market entry, and we publish research and reports to inform policy makers, businesses and the public. Through this work, we represent consumers’ interests in public debate and contribute to policies and reforms that support fair, competitive markets and better outcomes for consumers.
We evolve and grow
We will evolve and grow in size and capability in line with the landscape in which we operate – securing the resources, expertise and capabilities required to deliver on our remit.
The CCPC will continually review how it works and responds to changes in markets, technology and consumer behaviour. By developing our expertise, investing in skills and digital capability, and working with government, regulators and international partners, we will remain effective, responsive and focused on delivering better outcomes for consumers across the Irish economy.
