Romania strengthens control on retailers ahead of VAT cut

The National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) has sanctioned 160 stores owned by retail chains Kaufland, Lidl and Mega Image for consumer protection-related issues. ANPC has checked 216 units (Kaufland - 86, Lidl - 127, Mega Image - 3) and found irregularities at 160 of them (Kaufland - 68, Lidl - 89, Mega Image - 3). It obliged store owners to stop selling products worth over EUR 25,000 until they fulfilled all legal obligations, and it applied 239 sanctions. These consisted of 40 warnings and 199 contraventional fines, which amounted to almost EUR 193,000. The Council has also asked retailers information on previous product prices, ahead of the VAT cut on food and said it would randomly check 600 stores to see whether they reduce overall prices after the VAT cut. The local media has recently presented cases of retailers that had increased food prices ahead of the planned VAT cut, so as to increase the profit margin once they apply the 9% VAT. editor@romania-insider.com