Filenews 31 December 2024
The latest changes to the bill that will impose a cap on the price of bottled water at specific points of sale are being made by the Consumer Protection Service, at the request of the members of the parliamentary Committee on Commerce.
Specifically, MPs called for the price of the cap to be uniform at all points included in the bill, that is, airports, ports, sports grounds, beaches, archaeological sites, museums, cinemas, theatres, theme parks, zoos and hospitals.
According to information provided by "F", the competent authority examined the scenario of the price of the ceiling being uniform at all points of sale, employing an audit officer of a specialized firm. The scenario that seems to be preferred by the study that was done is that the price of the cap will be uniform at all points of sale with the exception of airports.
This is because of the special status that exists at airports and the formula that will be applied. As we have been told, the average price of the water cap at airports based on the cost estimate may be slightly higher than at other points of sale. A competent source told us that the study carried out to determine the price of the cap takes into account the economic data in the various sales areas, the profit and the costs they have, e.g. rents.
In addition, it was mentioned that, despite the fact that the water cap at airports will be higher, consumers will have significant savings compared to what they currently pay.
It is recalled that the existing bill provides that the price of the water cap will be different from place to place.
The second amendment under discussion concerns the inclusion in the bill of 330 ml water packaging, that is, to impose a ceiling on this packaging as well, not only on 500 ml and 750 ml.
With the decree issued by the Minister of Energy, businesses located at airports and stadiums will immediately have the obligation to impose maximum retail prices. In relation to the rest of the sites, the ceiling will be applied at a later stage. For example, beaches and theme parks will be subject to the measure during the summer months, as now, as we have been told, these are underfunctioning.
The decree will review the points of sale where businesses will have the obligation to impose a cap on bottled water.
