REVEALED: The top three companies Irish consumers complain about the most

Ryanair, Eir, and Sky have been named as the top Irish companies that received the most complaints in the first half of 2025, according to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

According to the commission's latest report, 20,526 consumers contacted the CCPC helpline between January and June of this year to report faulty goods, poor online shopping experiences and botched home improvements.

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Vehicles and transport led the list of sectors that consumers contacted the CCPC about, while the top traders named by consumers contacting the helpline included Ryanair, Eir and Sky.

Consumers also reported spending an average of €6,400 on the product or service they had an issue with 4,724 contacts related to faulty goods & services.

Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications, said:

“Consumer contacts to our helpline are vital in directing our work, particularly in enforcement. The information provided by consumers helps us to identify rogue traders, patterns of potential law breaking and means we can target our resources for maximum impact.

“This year, unannounced inspections by CCPC officers, often backed by intelligence gathered from our helpline, have uncovered consumer law breaches in shops, pubs, restaurants and car dealerships around Ireland.”

Consumers contacted the CCPC helpline about goods and services with a reported total value of €56 million. The highest average spend was on vehicles & transport (€18,716) and home building & improvements (€13,443). 

The report also revealed that 1,389 consumers contacted the helpline about personal finance. Motor insurance topped the list of personal finance queries, followed by mortgages and current accounts.

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Grainne Griffin said:

“Buying a car or a home are two of life’s most significant financial decisions. Making the wrong choice can be very expensive. This year, we have published in-depth research with practical recommendations that would make a huge difference for car buyers and homebuyers in Ireland.

“Earlier this year, we published a report calling for the government to create an online car history portal. This would allow consumers to check important information about a car’s mileage, past accidents, safety recalls, and import status before buying a used car.

“Recently we also called for more transparency in the homebuying process. Our homebuyers report called for the necessary information about a property to be made more accessible and be made available earlier in the homebuying process.”

Buyer Beware: Shopping online

4,419 consumers contacted the helpline about an online purchase, with 17% of purchases coming from businesses outside of the EU.

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Grainne Griffin added:

“We’ve seen an increase in consumers contacting us about online purchases. We recommend buying from businesses based in Ireland or other EU countries, where your consumer rights are strong.

“This means that if you buy a product online and the product doesn’t reflect the reviews – or if you’ve changed your mind – you have a 14-day right to cancel and receive a full refund.

“If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Consumers should be very cautious of exclusively 5-star reviews or amazing deals that are out of step with other suppliers. Always do your research and if you spot a red flag, better to spend your money elsewhere.”

When shopping online, the CCPC advises consumers to take precautions including:

• Buyer beware: If a product is sold out everywhere but an unfamiliar website, research the company before buying.
• Browse before you buy: Reputable companies will always list ways to get in touch with them, so if the website doesn’t have a ‘Contact us’ page that includes a phone number, email address and postal address, it could be fraudulent.
• Pay securely: Consider using online payment services such as Paypal or a pre-pay credit card.
• Keep the receipts: Make sure to keep all records and details of your interactions with the trader in case an issue arises.