www.thecai.ie DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 / JANUARY DECEMBER 2019 L ET C ONSUME R C HOIC E GUIDE Y OU TO THE BE ST VALUE IN THE Y EAR AHE AD…. MONEY LIFESTYLE PRODUCT TESTS FAKE REVIEWS FOOD CLAIMS HEADPHONES ONLINE BANKING ENERGY SAVINGS SMARTPHONES RENTAL LIFESTYLE CHOICE BUY ROUNDUP MICROWAVE OVENS www.thecai.ie The December 2019 / January 2020 Consumers' Association of Dear Member, Ireland We close 2019 with the promise from a newly and significantlly If this year has taught us little else it has been that the costs of The Council is the empowered UK Prime Minister that he will ensure an urgent building are unrealistic; the considerations around housing, policy-making body exit from the European Union. This ensures changes in many energy and transportation are, in too many ways, unworkable of CAI. Members are ways for the consumers of the UK and Ireland who engage, in – mostly through poor planning and blindingly unrealistic elected from within every way possible, throughout their lives in terms of family considerations and expectations! the CAI's membership and friends, food and drink, travel and holidays, rights and at the Annual General entitlements, in person and online. Many have been considered Here at the CAI we have sown the seeds, again, through Meeting. in abstract terms with all of the potential positive and/or negative which we hope to engage with Government to secure some aspects that this could bring. In a very few weeks and months funding consideration that delivers in 2020. We have already, Council the certainty of all conjecture will crystalise and the realisation through BEUC and ANEC, taken a stronger and active role and Members of the cost, and loss, of engagement with our nearest friends and engagement with projects including Non Performing Loans, neighbours, as a third country, will commence. Energy Efficiency Rating, Consumer Rights Training and Chairperson Standardisation. We plan to do more. Michael Kilcoyne Here at home, we will certainly find ourselves at our own polling Vice-Chairperson stations with some very significant choices to make. Our So, with a focus on what can positively be achieved, on behalf Raymond O'Rourke housing, health and homeless crises are precisely that; our cost of the Council, staff, contributors and volunteers here at the Hon Secretary of living has already risen this year to a level which, when the CAI, I wish you and your families a happy, relaxing and special Elaine Bolger effects of Brexit take full effect, will bring a significant change Christmas and a prosperous and healthy New Year. Hon Treasurer Richard Donohue of lifestyle and budgeting demands that will be a challenge for Beannachtaí na Nollag agus Athbhlian faoi mhaise daoibh! Slán Council Members many and a personal concern for many more. We therefore go fóill. Steen Bruun-Nielsen need positive and pragmatic solutions if we are to effectively and James Wims affordably manage our own national plans of change. 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Consumer Choice, We do not necessarily price or report on all 120/121 Baggot Street Lower, Managing Editor brands or models within the class, and the Dublin 2 Clodagh O'Donoghue exclusion of any brand or model should not be taken as a reflection on it. Tel (01) 659 9430 Researchers Email [email protected] Róisín Moloney Weekes Social Media: www.thecai.ie Atousa Motameni 1 www.thecai.ie December 2019 / January 2020 www.twitter.com/The_CAI www.facebook.com/ Contents ConsumersAssociationIreland 43 Smartphones 22 Energy saving tips MONEY FOOD & HEALTH PRODUCT TESTS 24 How to Spot A Fake 11 Mandatory Labelling of 29 Soup Makers Review Online Vegetarian/Vegan Food Fancy a hearty, warming soup Savvy consumers do their Products but short on time and energy? research before making a What is the regulatory situation A soup maker can be a handy purchase, but how can they regarding the claims made for all-in-one solution. be sure that online reviews are plant-based substitute foods? posted by genuine customers? 32 Microwave Ovens When it comes to fast and con- 26 Choosing Online venient food, our seven Choice And Mobile Banking 12 High-Protein Bars and Buy microwave ovens more than Services Energy Drinks – Facts and deliver. With more and more of us Findings opting for online and mobile Research from safefood provides 36 Headphones banking, the European Bank- important insights for consumers For easy listening with wireless ing Authority offers tips to who may overestimate the positive options, noise cancelling and consumers signing up for effects of high-protein snacks and more, the scores from our these services. energy drinks. headphone tests are in… 27 Renting - the Next 43 Smartphones Form of Consuming? Our testers have got their hands From hiring a dress for a on 44 smartphone models, but wedding or a painting for which ones have made it into our your wall to borrowing a pet LIFESTYLE top ten? for the day, Consumer Choice asks if renting is the future. 17 Choice Buy Roundup 2019 Looking for last-minute gift ideas? Consumer Choice recaps COUNSEL on some great Choice Buy gad- gets from the last year that might 10 A Christmas provide the inspiration you need. Celebration The new rules on gift vouchers 21 Help For Vulnerable providing better protection for Customers Of Energy And consumers come in the wake Water Services of one of the CAI’s longest The Commission for Regulation of lobbying efforts. Utilities outlines what protections are on offer and who is eligible. 36 Headphones 2 www.thecai.ie December 2019 / January 2020 News Briefs by Dermott Jewell NEWS BRIEFS Going, Going.............................. Give Me One Blink For Yes When Eir launched its GoMo phone offering last October it The great Terry Wogan’s tongue-in-cheek advice to listeners, when introducing a quickly caught the attention of consumers, especially those seek- topic of potentially salacious content, that it might be wise to “blindfold the budgie ing a standard, basic, affordable offering. At €9.99 a month for for this one” could have held more depth than previously considered possible. Fol- all calls, texts and data this was no surprise. However, for those lowing four years of intensive research, scientists from the University of Queens- who have made the purchase in the runup to Christmas or, more land and the University of Exeter have developed software that brings us closer to importantly, those who are considering signing up now, be aware knowing what animals actually see. The ability to do this has long been the stuff of that this is an introductory offer and it will expire on the 8th Janu- ary 2020. The primary reason for this is that the target set by Eir imagination only and has been sought after throughout the scientific community for the offer was limited at 100,000 sign-ups and that number, for lifetimes. Now, what is known as Quantitative Colour Pattern Analysis (QCPA) at the time of writing, has just about been reached and the com- is providing a level of understanding that is astonishing. One of the lead research- pany is simply extending the offer to gain as much traction and ers describes the QCPA framework as a collection of innovative digital image pro- interest across the Christmas break. Be also aware that GoMo is cessing techniques and analytical tools designed to solve the problem. Collectively, only available online and so too are all dealings with regard to these tools greatly improve the ability to analyse complex visual information as seen contracting, billing, technical problems and, significantly, cus- through the eyes of animals. Colour patterns have been the key to understanding tomer service. This organisation does not hold the record for the many fundamental problems and, while the role of combinations of these colours best levels of customer service and promises of a significantly and pattern information has been well known for years, the available techniques to improved service are to be determined.