It also found that more than a fifth mention the retailer, warranty provider and manufacturer as sharing responsibility, while almost half of those interviewed 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 thought they only had up to 28 days to return faulty goods, however, the CCPC has stressed that Irish consumer rights laws protect consumers for up to six years after the purchase of a faulty good.

The CCPC noted that these rights are strongest in the first 30 days and the first year after making the purchase. While product guarantees and warranties may offer added protection, that these are different to statutory consumer rights.

Consumers also have rights when goods are not faulty, the watchdog noted. For all online purchases, consumers benefit from a 14-day cancellation window, plus 14 days to return unwanted items. 

CCPC Director of Communications, Grainne Griffin is encouraging consumers to be aware of their rights and who to go to if an item is faulty.

"If you are returning gifts after Christmas, make sure you know your rights as a consumer. Your rights are in addition to any warranty or guarantee and they can last much longer. If something is faulty or not as advertised, your rights to a repair, replacement or refund are strongest in the first year but can last up to six years.

“Regardless of whether you have a guarantee or warranty, if a retailer sells you a faulty item, then they are responsible for resolving the issue – you do not have to deal with the manufacturer or warranty provider.”

Regifting 

The research also shows that a third of consumers would regift unwanted presents if they did not have the receipt, with clear differences in approach from men and women. 

Regifting is more common amongst women than men, and more men than women would simply use the gift anyway, the CCPC found. 

Men are more likely to leave it unopened, while older respondents were more likely to say they would donate it to charity than the younger 15-24 group.

Commenting on the importance of including gift receipts, Ms Griffin continued: “Most consumers are simply not prepared to ask the gift giver for the receipt.

"However, we can see that consumers will try and make the best of the situation with one third of consumers choosing to regift and 16% donating the gift to charity. However, 11% will simply leave the unwanted gift unopened in the house. Only 4% said they would contact the gift buyer and ask for the receipt.” 

The CCPC's Christmas research also revealed that more than half of respondents reported a negative experience with gift cards and vouchers, with 35% reporting that a gift card or voucher had expired before they had the chance to spend them.

Gift cards

Ms Griffin advised consumers to use their gift cards and vouchers as soon as possible to avoid losing them or incurring costly charges on inactive balances:

“Our research showed that a quarter of consumers have lost a gift card before they had the chance to use it and 17% found the business had closed down. Some vouchers can incur charges which can whittle away your balance. If you have received vouchers or gift cards this Christmas, make sure to use them as soon as you can." 

Gift vouchers sold in Ireland must be valid for at least five years. This law came into force in 2019, which means some of the first vouchers sold under the Act may be expiring soon and should be spent as soon as possible. 

The law also states that consumers do not have to spend the whole voucher in one go nor should they be limited to one voucher per transaction.