There has been little change in the prices waste collection firms are charging for the collection of residential waste. This is the latest finding of the Price Monitoring Group which conducted its market analysis across several weeks in late-July.
The format for verifying price data in July was unchanged from that used in previous series. The data is based on analysis conducted across a selection of licensed residential waste collection firms. This comprises 19 individual companies, with some firms operating in more than one area. In total, 26 markets are monitored.
During the July mystery-shopping campaign, firms were contacted both by phone call and their websites were also checked.
Pricing landscape for residential waste collection is complex.
As with previous months, a majority of residential waste collection firms offer multiple waste collection packages although many have now coalesced around a single one; Service Charge Including weight Allowance Plus Per KG Excess Charge Above Allowance.
In July, there was no change in the total number of price packages which still stands at 8. Examples of price packages include: Service charge plus per kg weight charge; E-tag and other options. The total number of waste collection price packages across all of the monitored firms is 48, a decrease of one from February (there was no price monitoring activity in March, April, May or June). A full breakdown of all service offers is included in the data part of this report.
Where prices did change
July price variations are as follows:
1. Service Provider A – Increased the service charge from €10.50 to €11.00. (Service charge plus per KG weight charge).
2. Service Provider B – Decreased the service charge from €12.50 to €11.00. (Service charge plus per KG weight charge). This is a reversal of price adjustments recorded in February.
3. Service Provider D – Increased the service charge from €19.08 to €26.66. (Service charge (incl weight allowance) plus per kg charge for excess weight above allowance).
4. Service Provider D – Increased the service charge from €12 to €17 (Service Charge plus Per KG Weight Charge).
5. Service Provider F – Increased the annual service charge from €24.13 to €26.80 (Service Charge plus Weight Band Charge). In the case of this provider, its prices rise and fall every month and this price maintains it within an average charge band.
6. Service Provider J – Decreased the service charge from €18.50 to €16.50 (Service charge (incl weight allowance) plus per kg charge for excess weight above allowance).
7. Service Provider M – Introduced a compost charge of €2 (e-tag).
Why information is anonymised
The purpose of the Price Monitoring Group is to establish and track whether the prices householders pay for the collection of household waste fluctuates and if so, by how much. It does this by using a mystery-shopping approach to a proportion of licensed waste collection firms. However, since price monitoring is not carried out on a whole-of-market basis, it is not in a position to publish names of those firms that are actively monitored.
Composition of the PMG
The group comprises representatives from:
- Waste Policy & Resource Efficiency Division
- An economist from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment,
- A statistician from the Central Statistics Office.
- Shelfwatch – an independent price monitoring group and
- Frank Conway, (MoneyWhizz) – independent consumer expert.
To date, the Price Monitoring Group has met on thirty-two separate occasions: 13th September 2017, 11th October, 14th November, 12th December, 9th January 2018, 13th February, 13th of March, 10th April, 14th, May, 20th June, 17th July, August 14th, September 11th, October 16th, November 14th, December 11th 2018, January 15th 2019, February 12th, March 14th, April 9th , May 14th June 11th, July 9th, August 20th 2019, September 10th, 2019, October 8th 2019, November 12th 2019, December 16th 2019, January 22nd 2020, February 17th, March 10th 2020 and August 11th 2020 (there was a 4-month break in price monitoring as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19).
Submissions to: pricemonitoringgroup@dccae.gov.ie
Please note this email has been put in place to facilitate the submission of relevant price information to the Group. The Group will consider all submission that can help inform it in respect to prices residential users pay for the collection of residential waste. Unfortunately, the Group is not in a position to respond to individual submissions at this time.