A Waterford Councillor says there's reports of shops, petrol stations and pharmacies in the city and county hiking the cost of goods.
Eamon Quinlan is calling on the local authority's Enterprise Office to conduct a consumer survey to identify businesses engaging in "price gouging".
The Fianna Fáil councillor says this is exploiting people during a very difficult time:
"I've been contacted by dozens of people over the last three weeks to point out that many products that are not in short supply due to the Covid crisis such as bread, fruit and veg, poultry, chocolate, et cetera have none the less been significantly increasing in price.
"This had led to a significant jump in shopping bills from certain supermarkets, petrol stations and pharmacies for families at a time of reduced earnings."
He says customers need to know if they're being taken advantage of so they can take their custom elsewhere:
"I am calling on Waterford City and County Council's Enterprise Office to conduct a consumer survey to collect data on such sudden price increases. This should then be publicised to allow consumers make an informed choice post coronavirus, as to whether they wish to withdraw their future spending, and move it to retailers who stood by their communities during their hour of need."
