CCPC Sets Out New Strategy to Help Consumers Facing Cost-of-Living Pressures and Strengthen Enforcement

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) published its strategy statement for 2027-2029 on 10 November 2026, setting out how it will help consumers facing cost-of-living pressures, strengthen enforcement, and ensure that increasingly digital markets work better for consumers. The new strategy comes into effect on 1 January 2027, with fake reviews, unsafe products sold online and misleading uses of AI among the harms it aims to address.

The CCPC said many households continue to face cost-of-living pressures. At the same time, digital technologies and AI are changing how consumers shop, compare products and make financial decisions.

The CCPC has built a pipeline of cases and, combined with expected legislation and powers to administer consumer protection fines, it intends to increase enforcement. The strategy sets out how the CCPC will focus its efforts where it can have the greatest impact.

The strategy builds on a period of record activity. Over the past three years, the CCPC reached record levels of competition and consumer protection enforcement, completed more than 200 merger determinations and secured 14 successful prosecutions. The strategy statement says the prosecutions were taken in the courts for breaches of consumer protection law, representing an increase of 250% as compared to the previous strategy period. The CCPC also helped thousands of consumers obtain redress.

According to the strategy statement, more than half a million unsafe or non-compliant products were recalled, withdrawn or prevented from entering the Irish market across the 2024-2026 strategy period. This included more than 10,000 baby soothers, 60,000 air fryers and 15,000 claw machine toys.

Brian McHugh, Chair of the Commission:

“Consumers expect markets to work for them, not against them. When competition is weak, when businesses mislead consumers, whether online or on the high street, the CCPC will act.

This strategy focuses on the issues that matter most. We will help consumers facing cost-of-living pressures, strengthen enforcement, improve compliance and ensure digital markets are fair and transparent.

We will not hesitate to use our powers where consumers are harmed or competition is undermined. Our goal is simple: markets that work better for consumers, businesses and the wider economy.”

The new strategy has five strategic goals, with specific actions set out under each. The first is to help consumers with cost-of-living pressures by investigating affordability in essential markets like retail pharmacy. While the CCPC does not control prices, the strategy statement says its work can help consumers get better value for money. Actions include completing a market study of the retail pharmacy market, continuing to monitor key markets including groceries and fuel, and working with educators to develop financial literacy curriculum resources for early years through to senior cycle.

The second goal is to drive a step change in business compliance with consumer protection and product safety law through stronger enforcement and improved deterrence, including targeted interventions where there is consumer harm. The strategy statement says activity will be prioritised in areas with a high level of complaints and consumer harm, starting with the white goods sector. The CCPC will also continue to engage with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to support the introduction of legislation creating a new administrative fining regime for breaches of consumer protection law.

The third goal is to maximise effectiveness in competition enforcement and merger control, including tackling cartels and anti-competitive conduct, particularly in areas that affect consumers and public spending, such as cartels in public procurement. Under this goal, the CCPC will develop a new public procurement screening function and prioritise screening of National Development Plan tenders.

The fourth goal is to make digital markets work better for consumers, addressing harms like fake reviews, unsafe products sold online and misleading uses of AI. The strategy statement says the CCPC will prioritise activity against online business behaviours that result in significant consumer harm, starting with fake reviews. It will also prepare for the entry into force in 2028 of the requirements under the EU AI Act for high-risk AI systems integrated into products.

The fifth goal is to deliver more impact through efficiency and capability improvements, including greater use of data, automation and AI. Actions under this goal include developing the helpline to be a strategic intelligence function and identifying and implementing AI efficiency solutions.

The CCPC said a digitalised version of the full strategy statement 2027-2029 would be available on CCPC.ie on 10 November 2026. The CCPC provides information on consumer rights, personal finance and product safety through its consumer helpline and website.