CONSUMERS:SHOPPERS WHO have purchased products affected by the pigmeat recall can return them and seek a refund, the National Consumer Agency reiterated yesterday.
The agency said there appeared to be confusion on the issue, with "some retailers taking different approaches to refunds or not yet clarifying their position''. It called on all retailers to take "a reasonable and responsible'' approach to the issue.
"The position of the agency is that consumers are entitled, under law, to a refund on production of a receipt or alternative proof of purchase,'' it said in a statement.
The agency said that where consumers did not have a receipt, it expected retailers to provide a refund on its own-brand products and adopt a reasonable approach to refunds for branded and other products where the consumer was known to be a regular customer.
The agency said it expected retailers to take "a reasonable approach'' in cases where the consumer had dumped the product but had retained the receipt.
Retailers, said the agency, should provide a cash refund in all cases, adding that there were indications that some were seeking to differentiate between own-brand and branded products, offering cash in some cases and credit notes in others.
Any branch of the multiples, Dunnes, Tesco, Superquinn, Aldi, Lidi, should accept the returned goods and issue a refund. Otherwise, products should be returned to the shop from which they were bought, the agency added.
On the approach being taken by retailers, the agency said Superquinn was offering a full refund, with or without receipts, on its own-brand goods, and a full refund with receipts on branded products.
In the case of loyalty card and internet customers without a valid receipt, the value of the product would be put on a gift card.
Tesco was offering a full refund, with or without receipts, on own- brand goods and in the case of branded products where there was proof of purchase.
SuperValu/Centra is offering a full refund without receipt on any SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak and Day Today own-brand products.
There was a full refund with receipt on branded products, while local knowledge on the part of the shop owners could allow for a refund for those without a receipt.
Lidl and Aldi were offering a full refund, with or without receipts, on any product identified as their own, said the agency.
Londis head office was recommending to franchisees to provide a full refund with proof of purchase. Where there was no proof of purchase, the refund was at the discretion of the local franchise.
BWG Spar and Eurospar were giving refunds on their own brands and on receipted branded goods, while Barry Group Costcutter and Costcutter Express had advised their stores to give full refunds and were not expecting their regular customers to have a receipt.
Dunnes Stores had no formal position, according to the agency.
Tesco yesterday moved to reassure customers in the Republic that they would receive a refund on all returned Irish pork products.
This followed complaints that Tesco stores were issuing refunds only on their own-brand products.
However, Tesco Ireland communications manager Séamus Banim said this policy had subsequently been extended to include all Irish pork products and the company was in the process of informing its 116 outlets in the State.
"We have a policy relating to our own-brand Irish pork products that we will be offering a refund with or without a receipt,'' he said.
"And in relation to Irish branded pork products, a full refund will be issued to customers with a receipt.''
When asked why Tesco had originally issued an instruction to offer refunds only on its own-brand produce, he said the situation was an "evolving one'' and the initial priority was to get all Irish pork products off the shelves.