Shops Increase Umbrella Prices By 400%

RETAILERS up and down the country have come in for criticism following their decision to up the prices of umbrellas by a whopping 400% as of this morning.

With many parts of the country battered expected to be drenched by torrential rains, the struggling retail sector has sought to capitalise on the public’s need for umbrellas.

WWN spoke to an industry insider to better understand the controversial action taken by Irish retailers.

“Your average umbrella sold in Ireland can withstand winds of up 2, maybe 3 kilometres,” our anonymous source Bill Lyons told us, “combine this with the fact that they are in no way water proof and precisely 4 seconds later it’s in tatters on the ground. We have bulk bought stronger umbrellas that can cope with up to 6kph and.00001 millimetres of rain, but with that comes a bigger price tag.”

A recent survey revealed the average Irish person will use 978 umbrellas in their lifetime with an average of 976 umbrellas breaking with 24 hours of purchase.

While many consumers have criticised the opportunism of shops selling umbrellas at high prices there is little sign that things are going to change. Consumer affairs expert Conor Pope spoke to WWN about the option consumers have available to them.

“Unfortunately the choices are buy the umbrellas available on the market or build some sort of homemade portable weather-defying vortex that you can carry around with you at all times.”

Following the umbrella price hike Ireland’s cheapest umbrella is retailed at €435.