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Opinion Want to curb rising grocery prices? Force supermarket chains to publish their accounts

As Ireland’s grocery market is worth billions, Jennifer Whitmore says there is more to rising prices than just inflation.

LAST UPDATE | 8 Jul

ACCORDING TO A recent PwC report, more than 70% of people in Ireland are either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ concerned about the price of groceries. With good reason.

The cost of staples – butter, milk, beef, cheese, bread – have all skyrocketed. Even the prices of the big chains’ own-brand items – traditionally the cheaper option – have shot up.

According to a new report from Barnardos today, four in 10 parents are skipping meals or eating less to feed their children. One parent told Barnardos that this constant struggle has led to them feeling inadequate because they can’t provide for their family. They spoke of living in a state of constant anxiety having to live from week to week.

These increases have been relentless. Grocery prices have risen at three times the rate of general inflation in the past year alone. In fact, many families are now spending €3,000 more a year to put food on the table than they were in 2021. That’s the price of a family holiday, money that’s needed to pay rent or the soon-to-be increased cost of college fees for students.

Crazy prices

These enormous price increases are taking a huge toll. Of the more than 103,000 calls to St Vincent de Paul this year, almost half were requests for help with food. This is unprecedented and hugely concerning.

We are not talking about families who are spending huge sums on luxury goods. We are talking about parents who work hard all week – going without meals so they can afford to feed their children. We are talking about pensioners, who have to leave items behind at the checkout when they realise they can no longer afford them. We are talking about families spending all of their time scrimping and saving – not for a nice holiday. Just to put food on the table.

This is about the basics. What it costs in this country just to survive – and how an increasing number of people are struggling to meet those costs and keep their heads above water.

That is why, tomorrow, the Social Democrats will bring a motion before the Dáil demanding that the government take action. Our motion sets out several measures which could be taken immediately – including long overdue transparency about supermarket profits and giving regulators more teeth.

Profiteering

There has long been a suspicion that consumers in Ireland are being gouged by large supermarket chains, who use their Irish operations as a cash cow. However, without full transparency on profit levels, it is very difficult to prove this, or for the consumer regulator, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), to do anything other than issue bland statements.

Consumers have a right to know whether surging grocery costs reflect genuine input cost increases or blatant price gouging. Our Dáil motion calls for the introduction of legislation requiring all grocery retailers operating in Ireland – with an annual turnover above €10 million – to publish full audited annual financial accounts.

This requirement would apply to all operators, whether Irish-incorporated or international, to ensure no retailer can claim foreign registration to evade transparency obligations. In addition, we are calling on the government to monitor and publish regular reports on the impact of this transparency initiative on grocery price inflation and competition in the retail sector. We also set out the requirement for regulators – for consumer affairs and food, to be given more powers.

Regrettably, to date, the government response to this crisis has been almost non-existent. It was reported over the weekend that, at the request of Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon, the CCPC is reopening its probe into the Irish grocery retail sector. However, what is the point of this when the government has failed to give it requisite powers to do its job?

How can this latest CCPC investigation be in any way meaningful when some large supermarket retailers do not publish the profits from their Irish operations? A box-ticking exercise, organised for optics, serves no purpose for the families around the country who are struggling to make ends meet.

‘Supermarket summit’

The last time the government said it would act on this issue was in 2023, when then Minister of State with responsibility for retail, Neale Richmond, convened a ‘supermarket summit’ – an emergency meeting of the Retail Forum. The minister talked tough at the time, giving supermarkets six weeks to bring down the cost of their groceries. Not only was this an abject failure, but the then minister didn’t even do the blindingly obvious — demand that supermarket chains reveal their profits.

There is also a need for clarity on the way in which margins are spread out, as it appears that the lion’s share of the profits often goes to processors or big retailers. To achieve this, our motion also requires the government to grant the Agri Food Regulator the powers it needs to compel the provision of necessary price and market information from relevant businesses in the agri-food supply chain.

This would allow it to fulfil its price and market data analysis function – something that was requested of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine by the chairperson of the regulator’s board as far back as September 2024.

The grocery market in Ireland is worth at least €10 billion a year. So why is there so little transparency about profits?

The secrecy must end. Accounting transparency by large grocery retailers is essential to protect household budgets, restore consumer trust, and ensure fairness in one of the most critical markets for Irish consumers. It is time to put the needs of struggling families before the eyewatering profits of supermarket chains.

Jennifer Whitmore is a Social Democrats TD for Wicklow.

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:10 PM

    A tweet I saw earlier that pretty much sums it up

    “As bad as the last few hours have been for the DUP, I have to admit there’s been some political movement and dealings from Sinn Fein. Snookered the DUP, blindsided the SDLP, have FG talking about a United Ireland and have turned the Tories against radical Unionism.”

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:13 PM

    @James Beattie: SF seem to be in complete control on both sides of the border in fairness.

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    Mute Denis Ryan
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:23 PM

    @David Corrigan: 37 TDs, less than a quarter of the dail but in complete control. You couldn’t make it up. David how many of the 37 have you heard speak in the 16 months since they have been elected, very few I imagine. They cant even trust the calibre of their own members. Ah well another three and a half years on the sidelines.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:31 PM

    @Denis Ryan: 70% of the electorate not interested in them and they’re “in complete control”. Deluded doesn’t come close to explaining it.

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:37 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: yes Eoghan, you are correct again. Are tonight’s events hard on you ? It’s not a hard question so I expect an answer on this one.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:40 PM

    @James Beattie: how many goals did you get in your first season with Stoke? Top player lad.

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    Mute James Beattie
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:47 PM

    @GrumpyAulFella: still no answer to the question. I notice you are liking your own comments again. It reminds me of a certain journalist who used fake social media accounts to, amongst other things, praise his own work. Pretty similar to what you are doing now ….

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:57 PM

    @David Corrigan: Ah that’s some bait and I’m going to bite,yes the DUP are a basket case and SF playing a blinder,full well done,done south,not so much,Mary Lou losing support, government parties plus independence still well ahead plus FG + FF leader growing support,SF doing a great job in the north,still hiding in the south.

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:00 AM

    @Daniel Roche: down south.

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    Mute M Bowe
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:05 AM

    @Daniel Roche: hiding from what or who??

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:07 AM

    @James Beattie: Southampton or Stoke, which did you prefer lad, seriously? Thought your best form was with Saints. Remember Saints is South. Chin up.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:55 AM

    @Denis Ryan: Eh, I meant the party are in total control of itself and how its positioning itself within the political systems on both sides of the border.
    Why do you and a few others on here try to be smart and jump in debunking other peoples comment just because they might say something positive about SF?

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:58 AM

    @Daniel Roche: Thank you Daniel. At least you understood my post. Playing a blinder up north for sure and they need to start making their play down south. They have definitely ruffled the feathers of the main parties here and they are very worried about SF. It will be an interesting few months ahead.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:36 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: Over 70% of the electorate not interested in FF either but they still managed to get in to government by doing a 100% about turn.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:00 AM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: well you’ve put your finger on it. 30% of the vote is great if you can source another 20%+ from elsewhere. The problem is SF is viewed as a toxic party, not only by the 70% of the electorate that won’t vote for them but also by the other parties who won’t go into coalition with them. They’ve a huge way to go before they ever get into government in the South.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:13 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: But FFG are viewed as toxic by an increasing number of the electorate. The electorate are the people who count at the end of the day. Not a few dinosaurs who want to maintain power at all costs, because of their toxic policies towards the ordinary person. The “I’m alright Jacks” are dying off. Compare their 40 odd percent combined to their 90 percent combined a few decades ago…. That’s the real picture.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 10:27 AM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: I think that’s just wishful thinking though. There’s a solid 50% core support for the FF/FG coalition that shows no sign of eroding even after 18 months of devastating Covid policies. I think SF are at their zenith now and this includes a soft fatty layer of floating voters. I think their core vote is probably around 19%. If they got into govt via a left rainbow coalition then they would be decimated in the following GE. That’s politics for ye. Opposition suits SF.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Jun 18th 2021, 11:45 AM

    @GrumpyAulFella: It’s not wishful thinking, it’s fact. Up to 90% combined, down to 43% in a few decades. The only wishful thinking here is you hoping SF would fail if they got in to power. Maybe you are one of the “I’m alright Jacks”? I don’t know if they would fail. But the current crowd have failed for the average Joe and Josephine.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:10 PM

    The dinosaurs are fighting among themselves. The have become the Divided Unionist Party.

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    Mute John kane
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    Jun 18th 2021, 4:02 AM

    @Joe Johnson: I remember collecting pieces for a glow in the dark dinosaur skeleton back into the early 90s. The bug?? The coco cola earpiece radio? Class. I just can’t be listening to that complete gimp

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    Mute 2thFairy
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:16 PM

    Another example of how they couldn’t give a monkeys about the people of NI. They are so entrenched in hate and Britishness that they are incapable of actually ensuring the North remains a peaceful place.

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    Mute David A. Murray
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:19 PM

    @2thFairy: True, but their motivation was probably just to get re-elected by stirring up division and fear and creating and then profiting from political inertia. Sort of like the GOP in America: Government doesn’t work, because we did everything we could to prevent it working.

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:21 PM

    @2thFairy:

    Correction: White Britishness.

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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:30 AM

    It is hard to believe someone who thinks the world is 6,000 years old did not succeed as a political leader.

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    Mute TonyB
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    Jun 18th 2021, 11:53 AM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: well, you’ve seen it here too. Right?

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:00 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: i dunno …… plenty of them have made a career believing the invisible man in the sky for much of those 6000 years – people in glass houses and all that ;-)

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Jun 17th 2021, 11:21 PM

    There is no fairness with the DUP or orangeism regarding their Catholic or Republican neighbours so what you reap is what you sow!
    It’s time to realise the croppies will no longer stay down.

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    Mute Fandango Barbecue
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:32 AM

    @Paul Mc: the statue of Edward Carson outside Stormont without a republican equivalent reflects how unfair the DUP and other Loyalist parties are. There is no way they would tolerate a statue to a republican outside Stormont! It’s no wonder they feel so entitled and privileged when even the government building itself celebrates only them and their politics with no regard for a shared Irish history, culture or politics

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    Mute Sohoma Roanie
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:12 AM

    Thank to the author for summarising the timeline of events. It’s been difficult to follow but I think I understand what happened now!

    27
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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:18 AM

    Poots gone,
    Irish language legislation in,
    The Protocol stays,
    DUP bigotry crumbling,
    DUP “Britishness” fading.
    Who’s up for marching this season!
    Simply delightful !

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    Mute SPQH
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:27 AM

    @Peter Daly: Marching? Well these Poots were made for walking ;)

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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:50 AM

    @SPQH:

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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:51 AM

    @SPQH: Ha Ha !!

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Jun 18th 2021, 7:16 AM

    Sammy Wilson is the Sarah Palin of DUP – ya can try put lipstick on a donkey etc – what a shambles of a party

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    Mute reginald
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    Jun 18th 2021, 6:45 AM

    Unionism needs to be thrown on their bonfires in a few weeks time and a match be put to it all

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    Mute Mick Tobin
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    Jun 18th 2021, 12:04 AM

    Poots probably saw this coming and had Givan nominated as FM instead of himself in order to avoid an even bigger mess.

    20
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    Mute Michael Healy
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:29 AM

    SF are sitting back and laughing as parties on both sides of the border self implode, while they gain support without even uttering a word. The dup are the makers of their own downfall here and I doubt anyone up north bar their own deluded mob are shedding many tears. Its clear boris and the tories want nothing to do with them, they made a mess of brexit and then kicked off like a stroppy teenager when if didn’t go the way they planned, and now this lad goes cos once again they didn’t get their way. While it’s amusing to watch them self destruct, we need to makes sure their knuckle dragging fleggggg and orange supporters don’t use this as an excuse to kick off more violence over the summer..

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Jun 18th 2021, 9:03 AM

    @Michael Healy: I’m sure they’re gaining support. They’re down 3 points in NI since the last election and Mary Lou’s ratings in the South have dropped 3% also. The DUP voters won’t be going to SF, they’ll be heading to UUP or Donaldson will actually make them stronger. It’ll be interesting to watch.

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    Mute Derek Power
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    Jun 18th 2021, 8:20 AM

    Season 5 of ‘The Thick of It’ is turning out to be the best one yet.

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    Mute Shane Meegan
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    Jun 18th 2021, 10:12 AM

    Thanks for this article. Have found it difficult to follow what’s been happening and getting my head around the many moving parts. This piece was helpful.

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