Consumers' Association calls for level playing field

The Consumers' Association has urged the Competition Department to facilitate the possibility for consumers to switch between the two gas suppliers.

It expressed its disagreement with the decision taken by the department which upheld the arguments by Liquigas that consumers had to produce their receipt in order to be fully refunded for the deposit they paid on their gas cylinders should they decide to switch.

It said this was making it difficult for consumers to switch operators and as a result they could not benefit from competition. Many consumers were actually preferring to keep empty cylinders at home instead of getting just €5 as a refund. In this way, should Liquigas reduce its prices, they could buy its product once more without needing to pay a deposit of €25 on the cylinder.

This was causing a waste of resources which would put upward pressure on prices.

The association said there were serious doubts that all consumers had been issued a receipt on their deposits, and those people who first bought their gas cylinders many years ago would not have thought that they would need the receipt many years later.

With gas cylinders now costing more than €25, it would surely benefit Liquigas to pay that amount to get its cylinders back, the association said.

The association said it was therefore calling on the department to ensure that there was a level playing field that would enable all operators to compete in the market.