TICKETMASTER, EIR AND Ryanair were the top three companies named in complaints made to the Irish consumer protection watchdog.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has today published its Consumer Helpline Report for 2024.

Some 44,247 people contacted the CCPC helpline last year to report a problem or to get information on their consumer rights – around 5,000 more than in 2023.

Meanwhile, more than €104m was spent on products and services that the CCPC was contacted about.

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Ticketmaster topped the list of companies that were named in complaints (614), followed by Eir (604) and Ryanair (554).

Contacts relating to the ten companies listed below made up 15% of the total number of named trader contacts.

Top ten complained about companies last year CCPC CCPC

Most consumer contacts related to faulty goods and services, followed by queries on contract deposits, payments and charges.

Consumers also complained about contract performance and cancelling a contract, and rounding out the top five most common consumer queries were reports about buying online.

These five categories represent 63% of the total contacts received last year by the CCPC.

Most common queries CCPC CCPC

Meanwhile, the most complained about sector was the vehicle and transport sector, followed by telecommunications, home building and improvements, and holidays and travel.

CCPC spokesperson Grainne Griffin said many consumers were having “real trouble with something they bought and struggling to get redress” and noted that vehicles and transport “topped the list of sectors yet again”.

She noted that the CCPC recently called on the Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien to introduce an online car history portal.

This portal would gather information from insurers and the NCT and would be free to the public.

Griffin said this would help car buyers avoid unsafe, crashed or clocked cars.

Most complained about sectors in 2024 CCPC CCPC

And the vehicle and transport sector also topped the list in terms of the average spend by consumers who contacted the CCPC helpline, at €18,705.

This was followed by the home building and improvements sector, on €10,599.

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Meanwhile, in 65% of cases, consumers were referred to another organisation that offers specialised advice and help.

Most people were referred to the Small Claims Court, which deals with claims up to the value of €2,000 – the CCPC has called for this limit to be “urgently addressed”.

This was followed by SIMI, which operates a consumer complaints and arbitration service dealing with used cars, repairs and services purchased from its members.

Next on the list was the European Consumer Centre Ireland (ECCI), which supports consumers with cross-border issues and operates a dispute resolution service for consumers and traders based in different EU countries, Iceland, and Norway.

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Elsewhere, most people made a complaint related to an in-store purchase, beating out online shopping.

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And while most people pick up the phone to make a complaint to the CCPC, some people are using the old-fashioned methods of making a visit to the CCPC office or penning a letter.

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Griffin said the CCPC is “very glad to see that a growing number of consumers are checking their rights when they run into difficulties”.

“Our helpline reports shine a light on the challenges faced day to day by consumers; these aren’t trivial, and neither are the costs involved,” said Griffin.

She noted that the average cost quoted by a consumer calling the CCPC helpline was just over €6,000, which she said is “driven by very high costs related to second-hand cars and home improvements”.

“Unfortunately for those consumers, they will not be able to use the small claims process to resolve their issue, because the small claims court only deals with cases up to €2,000.

“This limit urgently needs to be addressed.”