The Consumers' Association of Ireland (CAI) has dissociated itself from a boycott of Irish business and service on December 2nd.
The boycott is being organised the Irish Consumers Protest Group (ICPG), an Internet-based group that has circulated an email calling for support against "excessive and unjust prices that are being charged to the Irish consumer".
More than 4,000 consumers have visited the website, many leaving irate messages in the guestbook. The ICGP insists the Government should be doing more to address the issue of over-pricing, calling for the deregulation of industries that are "blatantly racketeering their prices".
It states: "For example, many pubs are increasing their prices considerably higher than the rate of inflation. If deregulation isn't possible, there should at least be appointed ombudsmen or regulators that are accountable and accessible to the public."
Price increases do not only affect the Irish citizen, according to the ICPG. "There are also major consequences on our tourism industry and our ability as a country to be competitive economically," it says.
The group commended a similar protest that took place in Greece in September.
Mr Dermott Jewell, chief executive of the CAI, said he was aware of the plans for a boycott in December. "The CAI has not called for the boycott. I don't know who these people are," he said.
"We have discussed the option of a boycott and decided against it. After analysing the situation over the last two months, and evaluating the Greek situation, we decided it would not work."
Mr Jewell said the CAI is a member of the same group of consumer associations as Greece. He said the first attempt at a consumer boycott in Greece was ineffective because it was an overall, one-day boycott and people simply bulk-bought the day before.
The second attempt in Greece was a four-day boycott of fruit and vegetable markets, an area where prices had been hiked by 25 per cent. "It was certainly effective the second time," Mr Jewell said, "because it was centred on one specific area, one which had clearly taken advantage of the Greek consumer."
Recent surveys have shown which areas have taken advantage of the euro changeover, Mr Jewell added. "We have always made the point that to boycott successfully, consumers have to target a specific area, but even at that, the full support of every consumer in Ireland would be required for it to work."