Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn has accused the Government of turning a blind eye to the growing problem of shrinkflation, warning that Irish consumers are being “robbed in broad daylight at the supermarket checkout.”
Shrinkflation, the practice of charging the same price or more for smaller quantities of goods, is already being tackled in several European countries. Italy, France, Hungary and Romania have introduced specific measures, while the UK will bring in new regulations in October 2025. Yet in Ireland, O’Flynn says, existing protections are gathering dust.
“Ostensibly, we have Section 43 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2007, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to enforce it,” the Cork North-Central TD said. “But in practice, these so-called protections are very much like the case of the dog who didn’t bark in the night. There is no enforcement and no appetite to act.”
O’Flynn argues that Irish families are paying the price. He said the “rip-off is taking place right across the board and it is on full display in every aisle, from bars of chocolate and tubs of butter to crisps, biscuits and loo rolls. Families are paying the same but getting less in return. It is a hidden cost-of-living tax on every household in Cork and across the country.”
The TD has tabled Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, demanding to know why the CCPC has not been tasked with monitoring shrinkflation, when the Government intends to publish data on its impact on household grocery bills, and whether Ireland will push for EU-wide labelling or disclosure rules.
“This is not a minor irritation,” O’Flynn continued. “It is a serious breach of trust between companies and consumers. Families are already under enormous pressure from housing costs, energy bills and rising inflation. To be short-changed on everyday groceries is unacceptable. Life shouldn’t be easy, but it shouldn’t be this hard. Families deserve honesty on pricing, not trickery on the supermarket shelf that amounts to legalised robbery.”
Separately, Deputy O’Flynn confirmed he has been in touch with O’Flynn Construction following local concerns about mud on the road near their Mallow site. The company has assured him that a wheel wash is now fully operational on site and that a road sweeper is being deployed as needed.
“I’ll stay in touch with the site team to make sure standards are maintained and local residents are not inconvenienced. If further concerns arise, I’d encourage residents to contact my office directly,” O’Flynn said.
