The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) today published a report breaking down calls to its helpline from January to June 2025 by sectors, issues and traders.

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.

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.”

Consumers contacted the CCPC helpline about goods and services with a reported total value of €56 million.

The highest average spend was on vehicles & transport (€18,716) and home building & improvements (€13,443). Consumer contacts also direct the CCPC’s research and advocacy work.

Ms 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 be made available earlier in the homebuying process.”

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

“We recommend buying from businesses based in Ireland or other EU countries, where your consumer rights are strong,” Ms Griffin said.

“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, better to spend your money elsewhere.”

A total of 352,465 people visited the CCPC’s online “money tools” service, which allows 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.