The research found that nine in 10 consumers tip at least some of the time, with women and people aged over 35 more likely to leave a tip.
However, two in three respondents said they believe tipping is becoming less voluntary, pointing to growing unease around perceived pressure.
Three in four consumers said they would like businesses to make it easier to opt out of tipping, while one in five reported recently paying a bill that included an unexpected extra charge.
The study also found that one in four consumers who encountered standalone tipping terminals had tapped them by mistake, which could have cost consumers almost €500,000 in total.
One in four consumers who encountered standalone tipping terminals said they had tapped them by mistake.
News in 90 seconds – Wednesday 28th January.
The findings come as the CCPC published new guidance for businesses on how tips and service charges should be handled, particularly where digital payment technology is used.
The guidance has been published on the watchdog’s website and circulated to industry bodies, it said.
Under the guidance, tipping on a payment terminal should be easy for customers to avoid, with businesses encouraged to prevent accidental tipping by keeping tipping terminals separate from payment terminals and clearly labelling them.
The CCPC also said that mandatory service charges must be communicated very clearly to customers in advance, while optional service charges should never be automatically added to a bill.
The watchdog said the guidance is intended to help traders adapt to newer technologies without undermining consumers’ right to choose whether to tip and how much to leave.
It said transparency is central to maintaining trust between customers and service providers as payment methods evolve.
“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,” he said.
The CCPC is the body responsible for enforcing compliance with competition, consumer protection and product safety law, with expanding roles in digital and data regulation, it said.