New tipping research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC ) has revealed that nine out of 10 consumers in Ireland tip at least some of the time, with women and people over 35 among those most likely to tip.
According to the CCPC survey two out of three people believe tipping is becoming less voluntary, while three quarters of respondents would like to see businesses make it easier to opt out of tipping.
One in five said they have recently paid a bill that included an unexpected extra charge, while one in four consumers who have encountered standalone tipping terminals have tapped them by mistake.
New guidance
The CCPC has issued new guidance based on the research to help restaurant owners and other traders decide how best to collect tips with new technologies.
Published on the CCPC website and sent to industry bodies, the guidance states:
Tipping on a payment terminal should be easy to avoid.
Prevent accidental tipping by keeping tipping terminals separate and clearly labelled.
Mandatory service charges must be very clearly communicated in advance.
Optional service charges must never be automatically added to a bill.
“Newer technologies like payment screens and tipping terminals are changing the way we tip for services," said Simon Barry, director of research, advocacy and international at the CCPC. "It’s important that businesses using these technologies do so in a way that protects the consumer’s right to decide whether and how much to tip.
"Transparency is vital. Any mandatory service charges must be flagged well in advance, optional charges must never be automatically added to bills, and tipping terminals should be placed away from payment terminals to avoid any confusion.”
