Retailers now resort to hiding sterling price
Since the controversy over euro/sterling price differences for goods sold here by UK-based retailers, some retailers have sought to remove or hide all references to sterling prices where possible (Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
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The Liffey Valley shopping centre in Dublin is typical of many out-of-town centres in that it is filled mostly by UK retailers.
Since the controversy over euro/sterling price differences for goods sold here by UK-based retailers, the retailers in question have sought to remove or hide all references to sterling prices where possible.
M&S, for instance, covers the sterling prices on all its items with heavy, hard-to-remove stickers showing only the euro price. You can even see where shoppers have tried and failed to remove the stickers in a bid to see the sterling price.
In other UK stores, such as Boots, Ecco shoes and Currys, the UK prices can't be seen. However, this doesn't stop you comparing prices online.
In Boots, an Oral-B Professional Care 8500 electric toothbrush retails at €104.99 here, compared to £68.49 (€75.88) in the UK.
In Halfords, a well-known UK motor parts and bicycle retailer, a Parrot Minikit slim bluetooth mobile phone hands-free kit retails at €89.99 here, but £59.99 (€63.70) in the UK.
For those stores that do display both euro and sterling prices, the huge price differences are plain to see. In H&M, a jacket costing £29.99 in sterling is priced at €44.90 in euro.
According to the calculator on the dualpricing.ie website, most of these price differences appear to represent mark-ups of around 25pc.
