Eir, Bord Gáis, Harvey Norman and Ryanair topped the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission queries list last year.
The commission’s annual contacts report shows that 32,431 consumers contacted the CCPC helpline last year.
Meanwhile, over 7,000 people were referred on the Small Claims Court for redress.
Complaints about utilities and fuel more than doubled last year as the energy crisis hit families hard; however, issues with vehicles and transport topped the list of consumer concerns once again.
The top ten companies the CCPC was contacted about were:
CCPC contacts list. Image: Competition and Consumer Protection CommissionOn Breakfast Briefing this morning, CCPC spokesperson Grainne Griffin said the number of complaints is similar to that seen before the pandemic.
“We see a huge range [of complaints and queries],” she said.
“You always see the really big companies come in and that is an issue of scale for the likes of telecoms but then you also see issues like holidays and travel pop up every year, homebuilding and improvement and then just generally white goods and issues with electronics and audiovisuals.
“Things where people spend a lot of money and it is very important to them that they get value for money.
“So, if it is expensive, they want to know what their rights are.”
Ms Griffin said the CCPC is urging people to get in contact when they feel their rights have been breached.
“People’s rights now are stronger than ever so you mightn’t have thought to do it in the past but this World Consumer Rights Day we are really encouraging consumers to be more proactive and follow up with a trader and potentially even go to the small claims court when they have an issue.”
The CCPC report also noted that the CCPC’s online Money Tools were used over 675,000 times in 2023.
Ms Griffin said the watchdog’s Mortgage Comparison Money Tool and the Mortgage Calculator Money Tool are particularly effective for customers.
Main image shows a Ryanair plane. Customers contacted the CCPC about the airline 421 times.
