Cork TD: Dairy price changes a ‘war of convenience’

Social Democrats leader and Cork South-West TD Holly Cairns has described changes to the price of dairy products in supermarkets in recent days as a “war of convenience”.

Ms Cairns brought up the price of dairy products during Leader’s Questions in the Dáil this week, after multiple retailers announced reductions in the price of butter.

“Food inflation has been surging for two years and is now running at nearly 17%,” said Ms Cairns. “Annual grocery bills have increased by over €1,200 in the last 12 months alone.

“Many are being forced to either cut down or cut out meals. Our most vulnerable citizens are going without. It is also increasingly difficult for struggling parents on low level incomes to ensure there is food on the table for their children.”

Ms Cairns hit out at supermarkets for creating a “battle of convenience”.

“The biggest price increases have not been to luxury products. They have been to basics like butter, bread, and pasta. 

"Now the supermarkets have decided en masse to decrease the prices of milk and butter.

“This so-called supermarket war looks more like a phony battle of convenience. They want to give the illusion of action, while continuing to clean up.”

She said a lack of transparency around pricing is a major issue. “The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission repeatedly tells us it has no role in even monitoring price levels,” she said. “The Government is now planning to introduce a food regulator; that will be similarly toothless.”

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who took Leader’s Questions, defended the Government’s attempts to tackle inflation, pointing to the eight separate cost-of-living lump-sum payments made over the last 12 months.

He also defended the new food regulator. “The new food ombudsman regulator is not toothless and will be there in terms of creating transparency around the issue of food prices,” he said.