Only 5 per cent of Irish people ever ask for a receipt so they can return an unwanted Christmas present, while twice that number are seemingly happy to dump unwanted gifts or leave them lying around unopened, new research from Ireland’s consumer watchdog suggests.
The survey published this morning by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) found that 42 per cent of consumers never include a gift receipt when giving presents at Christmas, rising to 52 per cent of men surveyed.
It highlighted the unintended consequences of the decision, which makes it much harder to return unwanted presents.
Just under a third of consumers who do not have a receipt said they would regift an unwanted Christmas present if they did not have a receipt.
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Men are almost twice as likely as women to use an unwanted gift, with 19 per cent willing to at least give it a go, compared with just 10 per cent of women.
The research also suggests 17 per cent of consumers are likely to donate an unwanted gift to charity or fundraising events, with those over the age of 55 three times more likely to follow that course of action.
While consumers in Ireland have strong rights when something goes wrong with a purchase, those rights do not extend to unwanted gifts.
For gifts bought online, consumers have a right to cancel for up to 14 days but it is important to note that this window begins when the gift is delivered by the retailer, not from when it is given to the recipient. There are also exceptions to this, such as customised clothing.
Irish consumers are protected for up to six years after buying a faulty good, with the original retailer responsible for resolving the issue. These rights are strongest in the first 30 days, and the first year after making the purchase. However, you will often still need a proof of purchase when taking it back.
While businesses are not legally obliged to accept an unwanted gift due to a change of mind, many stores have returns policies that allow gifts to be returned, with some offering extended return periods throughout January. It is important to remember, however, that they will usually require proof of purchase when returning a gift.
“While over half of consumers said they include a gift receipt at least some of the time, that still leaves a significant number who never include a receipt,” noted the CCPC’s Gráinne Griffin. “This makes it harder to return or exchange unwanted gifts and can leave many unsure about what to do with their unwanted presents.
“While it’s great to see many consumers regifting, swapping or donating their unwanted gifts to avoid waste, 10 per cent will leave it unopened or dump it and only 5 per cent will ask for a receipt.”
She pointed to pre-Christmas research that showed almost a quarter of consumers still had unused vouchers from nearly a year ago. She said the CCPC was “strongly advising anyone who has received a gift voucher this year to make a plan to spend it as early as possible”.
According to that research, almost two-thirds of those surveyed said they had received at least one gift voucher last Christmas.
However, 22 per cent of those who had been given such a gift had yet to cash it in. The CCPC reminded people that, under changes to consumer protection legislation from several years ago, people have at least five years to use a gift voucher.
It also suggested that given the number of unused vouchers in Irish homes, people might consider giving cash as a gift instead.
