Over 178,000 unsafe products were recalled, withdrawn or prevented from reaching the Irish market last year by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
The actions were taken following consumer complaints, referrals from European networks, proactive investigations and work with Revenue Customs.
The recalls included almost 10,000 babies sleepsuits and over 2,400 toy construction trucks.
The CCPC’s annual report for 2024 also showed that it carried out more than 200 consumer protection inspections last year.
As a result of the enforcement and legal actions, it issued 47 fixed penalty notices and 23 compliance notices.
The report said successful prosecutions were brought against five retailers, including Tesco Ireland.
The CCPC said the retailer pleaded guilty to two sample counts of failing to comply with the law in how they displayed the price of products offered on promotion to clubcard holders.
The consumer watchdog also undertook five successful prosecutions for breaches of consumer protection law, including action against misleading pricing practices.
And it opened an investigation into Ticketmaster Ireland and its handling of the sale of Oasis tickets last August, following almost 100 complaints over dynamic pricing.
The commission also carried out dawn raids on two premises as part of an ongoing cartel-related investigation in the home alarm industry.
It also assisted the Italian Competition Authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, in an unannounced search of Ryanair’s headquarters in Dublin as part of an ongoing Italian competition law investigation.
The CCPC said its “successful intervention to prevent a potential monopoly in car parking at Dublin Airport” was among its highlights in 2024.
The consumer watchdog said it blocked the daa’s attempted purchase of the former Quickpark site due to findings that it would lead to “higher prices, less choice and lower service quality for consumers.”
As a result, it said it facilitated the entry of a new competitor to the car park market at Dublin Airport.
There was a 21% increase in merger notifications, with 71% of determinations last year made within 13.3 days under a simplified process.
2024 marked a significant milestone for the CCPC, which celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking what it described as “a decade of work promoting competition and enhancing consumer welfare.”
The Chairperson of the CCPC, Brian McHugh, said the annual report highlights the “vital role the CCPC plays across all sectors of the economy, from enforcing consumer law on retail pricing, to advocating proactively for reforming the legal sector to better serve the interests of Irish businesses and consumers.”
“Open, fair markets are the backbone of our economy’s success, ensuring that whether consumers are making small everyday purchases or major financial decisions, their interests are protected,” he added.
“Following a year of notable achievements and a decade of progress, our focus remains on delivering transparent outcomes, empowering consumers with knowledge of their rights, and being a leading voice for competition and consumer welfare across Ireland.”
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said the CCPC “continues to deliver for Irish consumers and businesses by ensuring our markets remain competitive, transparent, and safe.”
“Their work in 2024, from blocking anti-competitive mergers to removing dangerous products and empowering consumers through education, demonstrates the importance of strong, independent enforcement.”
Minister Burke said he will continue his close collaboration with the CCPC to ensure it has “sufficient powers and resources to effectively advocate for and enforce competition and consumer protection legislation.”
The commission said it responded to over 44,000 helpline contacts and received 1.8 million visits to its website throughout last year.
