Brown Thomas Arnotts Pleads Guilty to Breaking Sales Pricing Laws
Brown Thomas Arnotts, which has a store in Cork, pleads guilty to breaking sales pricing laws and ordered to pay €1,000 to charity by Dublin court.
The department store group, which operates a branch in Cork, has been ordered to pay €1,000 to charity and cover legal costs following prosecution by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Brown Thomas Arnotts Ltd pleaded guilty this morning in Dublin District Court to breaching sales pricing laws, following a prosecution brought by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The department store group, which operates several prominent stores including on Grafton Street and Henry Street in Dublin, as well as in Dundrum, Blanchardstown, Cork, Limerick, Galway and online, appeared before Judge Michael Ramsey.
Judge Ramsey ordered Brown Thomas Arnotts to pay €1,000 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity and to cover the CCPC's legal costs. Upon payment by 16 March 2026, the matter will be struck out. If the company defaults on these payments within the time allowed, they will face a fine of €1,000 within three months.
The prosecution arose from online sweeps conducted by the CCPC between October and December 2024, including during the Black Friday sales period.
This case forms part of a series of prosecutions brought by the consumer watchdog under sales pricing laws introduced in 2022. Last year, Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical, Rathwood and Boots also pleaded guilty to breaking the same pricing laws.
Under the law, traders must base any discount on the lowest price in at least the previous 30 days, and must display this prior price clearly on any price tag or advertisement.
Patrick Kenny, Commission Member at the CCPC, said:
"Today marks another important outcome for the CCPC in ensuring consumers can shop with confidence, and that retailers can compete fairly on a level playing field.
It is crucial that businesses are transparent on pricing, and the CCPC will not allow traders to mislead consumers into thinking they are getting a better deal than they actually are. Consumers have a legal right to clear, transparent pricing, knowing that the price they see is the price they'll pay. This is particularly important during time pressured sales periods, when consumers are making quick purchasing decisions, trusting that the price displayed is accurate and the stated discount represents a genuine reduction on the prior price.
While we continue to support businesses to understand and meet their obligations, we have always been clear that where we suspect businesses are breaking the law, we can and will take enforcement action, up to and including prosecution."
The case was heard today by Judge Michael Ramsey in Court 8 of the Dublin Metropolitan District.
The maximum fine per offence under current legislation is €5,000. The CCPC has stated that changes to the law are needed to give them the power to impose larger fines for serious breaches of consumer law, including fines based on a percentage of a business's turnover.
For information on pricing and consumer rights, visit the CCPC website. The CCPC can provide no further comment at this time.
