Thumbs Up/Download low prices:  The price of downloading hundreds of albums is set to tumble after Universal Music permanently cut the digital download price of 1,500 back-catalogue albums. Artists affected by the price reductions include Sonic Youth, Stevie Wonder Bon Jovi, Nelly Furtado and Jimi Hendrix. It could mean digital download prices of the reduced-cost albums being cut by around 3, a Universal Music spokesman said.

All due credit

While it may just be tilting at windmills with an eye on next year's general election, hats off to Fianna Fáil senator Margaret Cox who is attempting to abolish credit card charges and to create greater price clarity for consumers. The draft of the Galway senator's Credit Card Surcharge Abolishment Bill seeks to make prices the same regardless of the method of payment chosen by the customer. "Shops as well as internet portals benefit from providing their customers with a credit card payment facility. It is unfair then to penalise customers for paying by credit card, which frequently is the only method of payment offered when shopping online," she says.

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Advent of high cost

Last year PriceWatch reviewed Advent calendars and complained that one cost 70. we were put firmly in our place last week when we read of an advent calendar priced at £30,000 (44,830) which was unveiled in London. The calendar is in the shape of a 4ft tall Christmas tree and made from ethically-sourced burr elm and walnut wood.

Commissioned by Green & Black, it has 24 compartments filled with different types of chocolate. Proceeds from the sale will go to a Green & Black's project to support cocoa farmers in Belize. It is on display in the Candy Room at Harrods in London until November 30th.