Month: April 2015

(Monitoring of fuel quality in March 2015)(Prague, April 27, 2015) Samples of diesel fuels collected at filling stations during March showed deviations from quality standards only within 3 samples of diesel. In total 237 samples of motor fuels were inspected, including 3 that failed technical standards, i.e. 1.3%. The total rate of detected flaws was the same as in the previous two months. The Czech Trade Inspection Authority imposed prohibition of sale on 9 thousand litres of poor quality diesel fuel amounting to 286,000 CZK at two filling sta...

Dear guests, welcome to Prague, the heart of Europe, and the city of Ostrava! We wish you a pleasant stay. We would like you to bring home only the most pleasant experience from your visit and hence let us give you some advice to help you in your commercial transactions. If you have any problems with Czech traders or questions concerning your consumer rights or the following guidelines, please contact the Czech Trade Inspection Authority. Its advisory and information service in Prague is available daily from 8 a.m. to 16 p.m. (E-mail: infoCa-c...

(Final report of 2014)(Prague, April 20, 2015) An inspection action focused on labelling of footwear was included in the schedule of the CTIA activities for the first time in 2014 and shortcomings were detected in almost 60% of 1,304 inspections. Subsequent prohibitions of sale were imposed on more than 10,000 pairs of shoes amounting to 1.6 million CZK. Most frequent breach was sale of products without information about manufacturer or importer and missing marking of materials used in main parts of footwear. Almost the same number of cases rel...

(Final report of 2014)(Prague, April 13, 2015) The assortment of textile and its marking is subject to continuous monitoring by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority because permanently detected defects most frequently concern insufficient information provided to consumers by sellers. In 2014, inspectors detected flaws in 52.7% of inspections focused on labelling of textile products. In total 884 fines amounting to 1.8 million CZK were imposed for incorrect, incomplete or deceitful information about material composition, price, use of particular...

(Extraordinary inspection action)(Prague, April 17, 2015) Inspectors of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority confiscated 129 pieces of toys that infringe intellectual property rights at Matějská pouť fun fair on Thursday April 16. Inspections were carried out at 4 workplaces (2 stalls, 1 shooting gallery, 1 winning stall) and counterfeits of toys were collected whose price calculated in the prices of originals would amount to 103,600 CZK. The fakes included cuddly pendants, plastic and cuddly toys illegally marked with trademarks „Mašinka“ (Tho...

(Final report of 2014)(Prague, April 7, 2015) Officers of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority monitored development and condition of trade over the internet during 2014. The goal was to detect and subsequently fine those internet sellers and providers of services who harm the rights and the interests of consumers. Flaws were detected in 682 of 867 inspected e-shops and sanctions imposed reached the amount of 4.8 million CZK in total. High number of consumers’ submissions addressed to the CTIA in 2014 proved that consumers’ interest in this typ...

(Ostrava, April 9, 2015) In the pre-Easter period officers of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority paid attention to inspections of sale of traditional assortment, including various decorative products with spring and Easter motives, in the Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc Regions. They detected shortcomings in 40 of 88 inspections, i.e. in 45.5% of cases. “Less serious findings resulted in 24 on-the-spot fines amounting to 26.500 CZK in total. Administrative proceedings will be launched with 16 inspected persons,” said Boris Stabryn, the Director...

(Final report – year 2014)(Prague, April 3, 2015) The field of provision of consumer credit within the non-banking sector belongs among long-term priorities of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority because this segment of the market is very risky as it endangers financial interests of large groups of both potential and real debtors. In 2014, violations of the Act on Consumer Credit were detected in more than a half of 269 cases of inspections. Inspected subjects were imposed 160 fines amounting to more than 7 million CZK. “Shortcomings were most...

(Final report of 2014)(Prague, March 30, 2015) Inspection action focused on offer and sale of used motor vehicles should check how sellers provide information about vehicles’ characteristics, especially mileage, and how they inform consumers about contractual conditions, including the possibility to pay through consumer credit. Interim results already showed serious violations concerning offer and sale of used motor vehicles, especially sellers’ conducts in contradiction with requirements for professional care because they provided untrue data,...