OVER HALF OF Irish consumers report negative experiences with gift cards and vouchers, with over a third saying that the cards had expired before they could use them, according to new research released today.

The research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) also found that just under 20% of businesses had closed down before consumers had a chance to redeem their gift cards or vouchers.

In a statement, Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications, said that anyone who received a gift card or voucher for Christmas should “make sure to use them as soon as you can” in order to avoid losing out.

“Our research showed that a quarter of consumers have lost a gift card before they had the chance to use it, and some vouchers can incur charges that whittle away the balance,” she said.

The CCPC research was conducted with Ipsos B&A and looked into consumer habits in the run-up to Christmas, and highlighted a number of areas where Irish people are losing out, due to a lack of knowledge of their rights.

The survey of 1,000 people also found:

• One in four consumers is unaware that retailers are responsible in the event a good turns out to be faulty
• More than a fifth (22%) mention the retailer, warranty provider and manufacturer as sharing responsibility
• Almost half of those interviewed (45%) believe the return period for a faulty item depends on the length of the product guarantee/warranty, not realising they have statutory rights.
• A similar number (43%) thought they only had up to 28 days to return faulty goods. Irish consumer rights laws protect consumers for up to 6 years after the purchase of a faulty good.
• A third of respondents said they never include gift receipts with Christmas presents, potentially leading to difficulties with returns or exchanges.

In relation to unwanted Christmas gifts, a third of people surveyed said they would re-gift items if they didn’t have the receipt. Women were more likely than men to regift, while men were more likely to use the gift anyway or leave it unopened. 

Older respondents (65+) were the most charitable, with 26% saying they would donate an unwanted gift, compared to just 8% of the younger 15–24 age group.