PriceWatch: Heather Kee, a Galway-based reader who is often in the capital, wants to know why Dublin Bus makes it "so incredibly difficult" to reclaim change under the company's exact-fare policy, writes Conor Pope

"When I take the bus I am charged 85 cent," she writes. "Far too often, despite my best intentions, I don't have the exact change and end up paying a euro." She then gets a refund ticket in lieu of cash. The only place where they can be swapped for change is at the company's head office, on O'Connell Street. Kee points out that this can be so awkward that many people just throw the refund tickets away.

It seems she's right: almost half of the €2 million-worth of refund tickets issued each year remains unclaimed, according to Dublin Bus. And because they have no expiry date the money has to stay in the system in perpetuity.

Gráinne Macken, of Dublin Bus, says that when the company introduced the exact-fare system in the 1990s it hoped that shops would take a commission to swap the tickets for cash. The sums were so tiny, however, that they weren't interested. "Retailers couldn't be bothered with the hassle of it all," she says.

She also says Dublin Bus is the only European bus company to offer refunds. "Most companies said: 'Well, if you don't have the exact change, then that's tough' . . . even Lotto tickets, which can be worth millions of euro, expire after 90 days."

Kee has an idea that could help Dublin Bus to mollify its commuters. "If they are going to insist on making it next to impossible for me to reclaim my money, wouldn't it be a good idea for them to put a charity box on every bus, to allow me and commuters like me to make a charitable donation with our refund-ticket stubs?"

Unfortunately, it's not as easy as that, says Macken. She points out that, although it's a noble idea, it is impractical and raises security issues. Not only does the company lack the resources to implement the system, she says, there "is nothing to say these boxes couldn't be robbed".

What's more...

Driven crackers Anita Murphy, from Sligo, got in touch to highlight the difference in what a packet of Ryvita Crackerbread costs on either side of the Border. Her local Tesco charges €2.14, she says. "Last week I bought it in the Morrisons supermarket in Enniskillen for 69p [ or €1]. I bought other items, all much cheaper, but the crackerbread really took the biscuit."

If you notice a significant price increase or discrepancy, let us know by e-mailing pricewatch@irish-times.ie