Filenews 3 January 2023
The Ministry of Commerce is intensifying its checks on the market, due to the January discounts, mainly in clothing and footwear stores. At the same time, consumers are urged to be informed of their rights and to be particularly careful about cases of misleading advertising.
Although there is no longer a statutory sales period, it is expected that in January most stores will as usual offer the largest percentage of their discounts in their winter collection, with offers having already started in some stores.
As stated by the Officer of Commerce and Industry Savvas Savva, especially at this time consumers should be informed about the store's policy for returns and changes, since there may be some variations due to discounts, something that depends on the policy followed by each store. He clarified that for this there is no legislative framework and stores are free to determine the return policy, however they should inform their customers in advance about their policy. He also called on consumers to be careful and ask to be informed about the return policy.
Mr. Savva clarified that in the context of the discretion that each store has to determine the return policy, a store can return the money, accept a refund for the entire amount in which a product was purchased, change the product purchased before the discounts with the reduced price of the discounts, or even may not accept it at all for return.
Indication of discounts: What constitutes an infringement
With regard to the indication of discounts, he noted that the previous selling price of the product should definitely be indicated. Then the new price or percentage of the discount should be indicated.
Also in cases where there is a misleading claim and the consumer finds that a price is advertised as reduced while remaining the same in relation to the pre-sale period, he indicated that there is an infringement and the consumer can report it.
He added that consumers should also report any misleading indications in the storefront regarding discounts.
"If, for example, a storefront says that there are discounts of up to 60% and the consumer finds that these discounts concern a few products in scattered numbers that cannot serve the consumer, then again there is a misleading claim," he said.
In case of infringements, consumers should contact the Consumer's Hotline at 1429 to report these cases. Consumers are usually referred to the online submission of the complaint to attach any information they have. It may also be that the complaint is anonymous through the line and referred to inspectors of the Ministry for the relevant checks.
What the consumer needs to know about online shopping
Regarding online purchases and discounts, Mr. Savva said that there is also a possibility of control, with the legislation there more favouring the consumer, since it gives him the right to withdraw from the purchase he made, the money he has given is taken back. This should apply to all online stores, as opposed to in-person stores, which can determine their own return policy.
He added that the legislation covering online shopping is common to all shops located within the EU. It also noted that the UK continues to maintain its European Consumer Centre.
However, consumers should be very careful where they buy from, since most of the complaints received by the Consumer Line are about purchases from unknown websites mainly from some who advertise on social media and who cannot be identified. The relevant services, he added, are difficult to intervene in case they cannot locate the website.
In cases of well-known websites, the European Consumer Center which is housed in the Ministry of Commerce takes over and actions will be taken through the country in which the store is located. The consumer can contact 1429, which will refer him to the competent officers of the European Consumer Centre.
Mr. Savva also called on consumers to be especially careful about online purchases of branded products that are advertised at outrageously low prices and mainly made by unknown websites that do not give contact details.
The Ministry of Commerce, he concluded, will launch an organized campaign from week to week with more intensive controls, to prevent and correct situations.
