Sales shoppers warned on totting up the euros

An increase in the use of "plastic" money is expected at the sales next week after the euro comes in on January 1st and stores begin giving change in euros.

Many shoppers are likely to use credit and debit cards, such as Laser, rather than cash, in order to avoid the possible confusion caused by paying in Irish currency and getting change in euros.

For people paying cash next week, the Euro Changeover Board is recommending that they pay in one currency only in order to avoid delays.

Starter packs of euro coins are already available from post offices, banks and building societies, although they are not legal tender until next Tuesday. Euro notes will not be available to the public before January 1st. From then, the euro notes and coins can be used in all 12 countries which have joined the euro: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

The European Consumers Information Centre (ECIC) in Dublin says that knowledge is the best way for shoppers to safeguard themselves against any possibility of being ripped off during the sales.

People searching for bargains may face four prices on items in the shops - the pre-sale price in pounds and euros, and the reduced sale price also in pounds and euros. There have also been some concerns that handwritten euro and Irish pound price tags have potential to cause confusion, with some EUR depictions difficult to distinguish from £s.

However, the European Consumers Information Centre spokeswoman said there was no point in overdramatising things. "It's rather superior to imagine people can't deal with the currency changeover. It's a question of learning new values," she said.

The way in which prices were displayed during the sales would be very important if confusion was to be avoided. The legislation, she pointed out, demanded that retailers showed their prices in a clear, accurate way on or near their products. They had an obligation to ensure consumers had clear information about products to allow them to make informed decisions about whether to go ahead with purchases.

Hand-written price tags should be examined particularly closely, she said.

"Some kind of hybrid pound/euro symbol is certainly not clear. A fudged symbol is not acceptable. There's no excuse for it not being done properly."

As always during sale times, bargain-hunters are advised to check the store's returns policy before parting with cash for any item. For extra reassurance, the retailer could be asked to write the policy on the back of the receipt. "Don't make assumptions. If you're not sure, ask," the ECIC spokeswoman said.

"You're going to need to stop before you hand over your cash and say, 'Is this the product I want at the price I want?' "

She said the important thing to remember when shopping in the sales this season was that the introduction of the euro would not change consumer rights in the slightest.

She urged consumers to be more forthright if they thought price conversions had been carried out incorrectly. "We assume the role of subservient shopper against the all-powerful retailer. Consumers should be aware that it's a much more level playing field," she said.

"We're the ones with the money in our pockets and we should use it to our advantage."

If shoppers feel they cannot cope with the new currency during pressurised sales shopping, the ECIC recommends using Laser or credit cards.

Ireland has a much lower rate of credit-card use than the other EU countries.