Almost 45,000 shoppers contacted the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission for advice last year.

That is an increase of 13% or 5,000 people who contacted its helpline looking for information on their consumer rights.

Ticketmaster, Eir, and Ryanair were the top three companies which generated the most contacts to the CCPC last year.

The CCPC Director of Communications Gráinne Griffin said we're becoming more confident in our ability to complain.

“Consumers in Ireland have really strong rights, so for us, it's really positive to see that consumers are saying, ‘No, we want to stand up for ourselves, we want to know what our rights are’,” she said.

“Then they're preparing themselves, you know, to follow up with businesses to complain and to hopefully get their issue resolved or get their money back.”

A woman is handed her purchases from a shop owner. Image: Visuals Stock / Alamy Stock Photo

Buying a second-hand car was the most common reason why consumers contacted the organisation.

Ms Griffin said issues with used cars caused a lot of complaints.

“What you see is issues where consumers have maybe bought a second-hand car and then have subsequently discovered that it was crashed, or maybe it was clocked,” she said.

“They're facing the loss of their original money, but also potentially having to spend more money to make that car safe and get it put back on the road.

“It is an area that we've spoken out on before, we do think there's more that could be done to protect consumers in that space.”

Shopping bags for high street fashion retailers Brown Thomas and Arnotts on the arm of a woman. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie. 24/12/2021