Gift retailer fined over sweatshirt labels
A company that operates retail and gift stores across the south-west has pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching consumer-protection law at Killarney District Court.
The prosecution against Quills Retail Ltd, trading as Quills Woollen Market, was taken by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
CCPC officers had carried out inspections at Quills’ stores in September and November 2024 after receiving complaints from consumers.
During visits to Quills stores in Killarney and Kenmare, CCPC authorised officers examined hooded sweatshirts with Quills-branded swing labels that said, ‘Made in Ireland’.
Country of origin
According to the competition regulator, its officers identified instances where the original care labels showing the country of origin appeared to be tampered with, as well as examples that still had the original label showing the country of origin as Pakistan, not Ireland.
The CCPC points out that, under the Consumer Protection Act 2007, it is an offence for a trader to provide false or misleading information that could cause a consumer to make a decision they would not otherwise make. This includes information relating to the geographical or commercial origin of a product.
At a hearing yesterday (19 May), Judge David Waters fined the retailer €500 and ordered it to pay €1,000 towards the CCPC’s costs, noting that this was a “… deliberate attempt to deceive buyers”.
‘Indefensible’ actions
The retailer was convicted on both counts.
CCPC chair Brian McHugh described the actions of Quills in this case as “simply indefensible”.
“This behaviour damages competition between businesses selling Irish crafts and could also impact the reputations of both Ireland and Kerry as high-quality tourist destinations,” he added.