The Government must be “more curious” about the source of profiteering that has led to high grocery prices. 

That’s according to Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly responding to a recent report from researcher Kantar who found grocery inflation has been at 15% in the last 12 weeks. 

“When the Government is meeting with the retailers, they need to make it clear there are a couple of red lines,” she told The Hard Shoulder. 

“Prices must come down at the till for consumers.” 

Profiteering

Deputy O’Reilly said the Government need to be “a little bit more curious” about where profiteering is happening as the European Central Bank said it is likely happening. 

“We know there was an investigation by the CCPC, they say it's not the supermarkets,” she said. “We absolutely know it’s not the primary producers. 

“[Is the Government] looking at those big producers in the centre to see if that is where it’s happening, not the primary producer or the supermarket?” 

An international phenomenon

Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward said he suspects profiteering is happening in the retail sector, but the Government doesn’t know where. 

“We need to establish how it’s happening,” he said. 

“It’s also important to consider that the increase in inflation in retail and particularly groceries prices is not an Irish phenomenon. 

“It is a function of international instability and a lot of other factors – you have energy, the cost of employment.” 

Senator Ward said the Government also needs to consider how costs are affecting local groceries compared to larger “multiples” like Aldi and Lidl. 

“If you're a cornershop in a village, you're a hub in that village and you need to be supported,” he said. “But your unit cost is going to be much higher than if you're a Lidl outside of town.” 

Support schemes

Deputy O’Reilly said the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) is not being taken up by enough small businesses. 

“If you are your big multiple, you’ve got your hr department, your accounting department, you’ve got people who are there,” she said. 

“If you’re a cornershop, chances are you are the HR department, as well as the cleaner, as well the front of house, the back of house the warehouse. 

“You're going to need that extra bit of help.” 

The Government should make the scheme more accessible if it wants people to use it. 

“And any savings that can be made [should] go to the consumer,” she said.