Rounding up? It’s not making much cents for the consumer
RETAILERS who practice tinkering around with our change should get the red card.
Under the pretext that small coins are a nuisance there is a tidy sum of money to be made over a period of time.
Recently I visited a shop/filling station in my travels. The sign said ‘Scones 99c each’. I bought two and was charged €2 with the explanation that ‘we round up and down as necessary to avoid the use of small coins’.
I remembered I needed petrol so when the total came to €20.02 I was surprised to be asked for the two cents!
I paid up to avoid the embarrassment but when I got to thinking about it later I realised that this ‘rounding’ of money could be a real money maker.
It was refreshing to receive 1c in my change in Dunnes Stores a day later.
In conversation about this the check-out lady pointed out that there were many people who need every cent they get to balance their weekly budget and in her book they are entitled to all their change.
Regardless of ‘rounding cash policies’ it is totally wrong to advertise a product at 99c and then charge €1 for it.
Retailers large and small who operate this practice should have a clear sign at the store entrance and at the checkouts stating that they do so and explaining how it works.
This will make it a lot easier for people to shop at stores where the retailer respects your right to the correct change up or down! WILLIAM O’SULLIVAN, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Give us a break
SOON our beloved politicians will be going on their well deserved holidays. They will be back just in time for the Christmas festivities.
The recovery is well under way, and full employment looms on the horizon. Everyone is now much better off thanks to these hard working Good Samaritans.
Well that’s the official mantra coming from Government.
In reality many are still living in poverty.
Makes one wonder are the two main parties playing Laurel and Hardy with our senses?
Look at the economic stupidity we have to endure from our politicians.
Like St Christopher, they carry each other across the deep murky political bridge to safe higher economical ground.
Historically two sworn enemies united as one. And that’s why a big chasm exists between politicians and the electorate. ANTHONY WOODS,
Ennis, Co. Clare.
Name names, Liam!
LIAM Hayes (Irish Daily Mail, Saturday) had great praise for a new €80million stadium tucked away near the bottom of our island (how many tons of carbon dioxide will be produced getting to it in the years to come?).
But he dipped his toe into the waters of controversy by referring to ‘tin pot’ counties. Would he get his togs on and bravely dive in and name, say, three counties that shouldn’t have the right to aspire to having modern GAA stadiums of their own? MIKE ROYCROFT, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Man is the enemy
THE ‘climate change industry’ is big business.
Our heavily subsidised wind turbines which scar our beautiful landscapes are just one example. But are we not confusing manmade pollutions with natural climatic changes?
Mother Earth can deal with temperature fluctuations which she has dealt with over past millennia but not man-made pollutions in all its forms: plastic in our seas; nuclear waste; herbicides; pesticides; chemical products; traffic smog; and light pollution that hides the stars from our children’s eyes. JOHN MAC BRIAR, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim.