Consumer protection watchdogs across Europe, including Ireland, found one in three traders incorrectly display discounts online during Black Friday and Cyber Monday late last year. Ireland’s watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), participated in the sweep of over 300 online retailers targeting misleading discounts since the introduction of new sales pricing rules. The objective of this sweep was to assess whether discounts and pricing practices during major sales events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, were compliant with EU consumer law. They checked 314 online traders selling a range of goods such as cosmetics, fashion, furniture and electrical goods, and found that 30% referenced discounts incorrectly during such sales. "Businesses should know that we are monitoring and have successfully taken traders to court for fake discounts.

Source: Irish Examiner March 26, 2026 16:41 UTC