Martin Daly presses government on grocery prices and cost-of-living
Martin Daly asked the government how it will build on cost-of-living supports for families, focusing on grocery prices and essential utilities. The minister replied that a fall in inflation does not mean supermarket prices have fallen, said no separate cost-of-living measure is planned for September–December, and announced an updated Competition and Consumer Protection Commission analysis of grocery pricing due in the coming weeks.
The minister acknowledged that lower headline inflation has not translated into lower supermarket bills and said the cost of living remains high for families. The minister was clear there will not be a cost-of-living specific measure between September, October and December.
The minister said the annual budget — described in the reply as over €100 billion and probably around €120 billion — will nonetheless try to help people. The budget will look at what can be done for older people, younger people and families in addressing cost pressures.
The government said it wants consumers to be treated fairly, with transparent pricing and robust competition in the retail sector. A colleague minister has met the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and asked it to conduct an updated analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector and the issue of excessive pricing; that work is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
Deputy Martin Daly highlighted the visible pressure on households at weekly shops and at the checkout; the minister reiterated the government's commitment to easing cost-of-living pressures and providing greater security and reassurance. The immediate next steps set out in the reply were the CCPC analysis and the inclusion of targeted measures within the forthcoming budget.
Key points
The minister acknowledged that lower headline inflation has not translated into lower supermarket bills and said the cost of living remains high for families. The minister was clear there will not be a cost-of-living specific measure between September, October and December.
Budget support
The minister said the annual budget — described in the reply as over €100 billion and probably around €120 billion — will nonetheless try to help people. The budget will look at what can be done for older people, younger people and families in addressing cost pressures.
Grocery pricing review
The government said it wants consumers to be treated fairly, with transparent pricing and robust competition in the retail sector. A colleague minister has met the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and asked it to conduct an updated analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector and the issue of excessive pricing; that work is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
Household impact and next steps
Deputy Martin Daly highlighted the visible pressure on households at weekly shops and at the checkout; the minister reiterated the government's commitment to easing cost-of-living pressures and providing greater security and reassurance. The immediate next steps set out in the reply were the CCPC analysis and the inclusion of targeted measures within the forthcoming budget.
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Transcript
I know you and the Taoiseach have rightly emphasised this week the government's strong commitment to easing the cost of living pressures on family, including the recent move to strengthen the powers of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to ensure fairness in grocery pricing. Given the extraordinary external pressures of recent years, Covid, the war in Ukraine, the rising global energy costs, can you outline how this government plans to build on the cost of living supports already delivered, particularly in relation to the cost of groceries and essential utilities, to give families greater security and reassurance in the months ahead? Thank you. I want to thank Deputy Daly for this, and you are so right. The government is absolutely at one in terms of recognising that just because inflation has fallen does not mean that the cost of going to the supermarket has fallen as well. The cost of living does still remain high. People see that in their weekly shops, they see it when they go to the checkout with their trolley. Yes, we have been very clear that there is not going to be a cost of living specific measure between September, October and December. That is not to say that a budget of over €100 billion, probably around €120 billion, will not try to help people with their cost of living. Of course it does. Every budget does in terms of looking at what we can do for older people, what we can do for younger people, what we can do for families. That will be the approach I know we will all take together. Specifically on that issue of grocery prices, we do want to ensure that consumers are treated fairly, that pricing is transparent and that competition in the retail sector remains robust. Our colleague, Minister Alan Dillon, has met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and has asked it now to conduct an updated analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector and the issue of excessive pricing. I am told that that piece of work is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.