Ireland will now have the third highest hospitality VAT rate in Europe.

Any rise in the cost of petrol and diesel will only make goods in the shops more expensive.

The rising cost of fuel is said to be behind the increase in incidents.

Age Action said a more targeted approach is required.

Raylene McCaughey addressed yesterday's Oireachtas Committee on rising fuel costs says "consumers were completely misinformed" about prices.

The price of petrol and diesel reached 2-euro a litre in many forecourts this week.

Philip said that in his 22 years in business, he has never seen anything like it.