(Final report of 2015)
(Prague, March 18, 2016) In 2015, special offers and seasonal cleansing sales belonged to the inspection areas monitored during the whole year. The Czech Trade Inspection Authority inspected almost 4,500 shops offering discounted goods or services and detected violations of obligations stipulated in generally binding legal regulations in 43% of cases. Results of the inspection action again proved numerous repeated flaws, especially insufficient or deceitful information provided about the prices of offered products and services, violations of principles of honest sale, insufficient data about products as well as other defects. Especially chain stores offer goods for reduced prices throughout the year in order to attract as many buyers as possible. Prohibition of sale was imposed on 15,407 pieces of products amounting to almost CZK 2 million because they failed conditions for being placed on the market. Based on proven violations of requirements, in total 1,409 fines amounting to CZK 13.3 million were lawfully imposed. With regard to the frequency of discovered administrative delicts, the inspection project will continue in 2016 as well. “Discounts, seasonal clearance sales and offer of products within special offers without determined rules are a year-round phenomenon attractive for a major part of the Czech society. However, consumers rarely check whether advertised discounts are only fictitious or whether the promoted “action price” is the same as a usual price in a shop next doors. This is also the reason why consumers subsequently complain about various deceitful practices of sellers. They should always consider whether the price of offered goods or services is really beneficial and compare offers with other traders,” recommended Mojmír Bezecný, the Director General of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.
The complete press release is available in the attachment.
Celá zpráva zde:
2016-03-18-discounts-2015.doc (, 56.00 KB)