Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Government, citizens and rights
  3. Consumer advice
  4. Common consumer problems

Coronavirus (COVID-19): consumer advice about price of goods and services

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic many consumers will want to make sure that they are informed of their legal rights in relation to the price of goods and services. Consumerline has received information about businesses behaving unfairly by charging unjustifiably high prices, particularly for essential goods.

Inflated prices

Current legislation does not tackle circumstances where a business increases the price of goods or services unreasonably - a practice commonly referred to as profiteering or price gouging.

This is because businesses are free to set the price they wish to charge for goods or services, as long as the price is made known to consumers beforehand.

However, the Competition and Markets Authority wants to make sure that businesses do not exploit the current health emergency to take advantage of consumers, and is advising consumers to report instances of price gouging to them at this link:

  • Coronavirus business complaint service

Price transparency

All goods offered for sale to consumers must be priced, and any prices must be easy to read, unambiguous, easily identifiable and inclusive of VAT and any additional taxes.

The selling price should be available without the public having to ask a member of staff for help to find it.

Prices can be:

  • shown on goods themselves
  • on a ticket or notice near to the goods (such as on a shelf edge)

or

  • grouped together with other prices on a list or catalogue(s) near to the goods - if counter catalogues are used, then there should be enough copies for consumers to refer to

Pricing errors

The price of goods or services is a key part of a contract (a legally-binding agreement) between a consumer and a business.

In circumstances where a business has made a pricing error, but where no money has been paid by the consumer, the trader is entitled to refuse to sell the goods at the advertised price.

This is because no contract has been formed between the consumer and the business, and therefore the consumer cannot insist upon the price, because a price had not been agreed.

The business must make sure that the pricing error is corrected as soon as possible.

However, where a contract for goods or services has been completed between a consumer and a business, and a price has been paid, the business cannot change the price afterwards.

In circumstances where a business refuses to honour the contract, by supplying the goods or services for the agreed price, the consumer may be entitled to claim damages for loss of bargain.

Misleading prices

Businesses are not allowed by law to mislead consumers about the price of goods or services.

Businesses must make sure they don’t mislead consumers by giving false information, or by leaving out information as to the price of a product or the way the price is calculated.

It is a criminal offence if a business misleads like this.

Report an issue to Consumerline

If you have been misled by a business about the price of goods or services, you should report it to the Trading Standards Service by contacting Consumerline online or by phone or email.

Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Common consumer problems

  • Auctions
  • Buying a new or used car
  • Car repairs
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): consumer advice about price of goods and services
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): consumer advice about scams
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): consumer advice for cancelled weddings and events
  • Doorstep selling
  • Estate agents
  • Guarantees and warranties
  • Home maintenance and repairs
  • Junk mail, spam and unwanted phone calls
  • Paying a deposit
  • Shopping
  • Tooth whitening

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS