DUBLIN, Ireland: Boots Ireland has admitted to breaking pricing laws during a Black Friday sale in 2023, leading to an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The company appeared in Dublin District Court this week before Judge Anthony Halpin. The case involved wrongly advertised discounts on electric toothbrushes and perfume.
Under the law, businesses must base any discounts on the lowest price from the previous 30 days and clearly show that price. This rule was not followed in the sale.
The main issue was with Oral-B toothbrushes. Judge Halpin noted that the mistakes were caused by human error, that Boots had no past offenses, and that the company admitted guilt. Because of this, he said Boots could avoid a criminal conviction.
He delayed the final decision until June 26. If Boots pays 4,624 euros for the CCPC's costs and gives 1,000 euros to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity, he said he would apply the Probation of Offenders Act — meaning Boots would not get a formal conviction.
This was one of the first cases under new pricing laws introduced in 2022.
The CCPC lawyer, Cathal Ó Braonáin, explained that businesses break the law when they offer a discount without showing the correct previous price—which must have been the lowest in the past 30 days.
Boots pleaded guilty to one charge. Two others were dropped, but the court still reviewed all three cases.
CCPC officer David Mulholland reviewed Boots' website on November 17, 2023. He found three violations:
- A black Oral-B iO 10 toothbrush was shown as reduced from 999.99 euros to 470 euros. But the same 470 euros price had already been offered earlier in the month, so 999.99 euros was not the real previous price.
- Another Oral-B toothbrush was advertised for 240 euros, claiming it had been 590.99 euros. But it had been sold earlier for 228 euros — a lower price than advertised.
- Dior Eau de Toilette was sold for 104 euros, claiming it was reduced from 123 euros. However, it had already been available for 94 euros earlier that month.
Boots' lawyer, Eoin Mac Aodha, asked the judge to be lenient. He said the errors were unintentional, and the company was sorry. He explained that Boots had over 104,000 products on sale that day, and only a few had issues.
He also said Boots had reviewed and improved its internal systems since then and was willing to pay the charity donation and legal costs.
Judge Halpin said Boots was a well-known and respected company in Ireland. He noted that a senior compliance officer had traveled from the UK to attend the hearing.
The charges fall under EU rules brought in November 2022. Earlier this year, other companies—Lifestyle Sports, DID Electrical, and Rath-Wood Home and Garden—admitted similar offenses. They also paid 1,000 euros to the same charity and covered CCPC costs, so they were acquitted.
After the hearing, CCPC Chairperson Brian McHugh said: "False sale discounts hurt both consumers and fair competition. Customers must be given clear and honest information so they can make good choices."
