The Ministry's goal is to implement the platform by the end of the year
The debate on the e-kalathi bill begins today in the House Commerce Committee. It is a digital tool for presenting product prices, with the aim of contributing to the efforts of the Consumer Protection Service to monitor the market in order to better protect the interests of consumers.
A similar practice is already applied in the Greek market. Based on the bill, food businesses with an annual turnover of more than 2 million euros are required to submit product sales prices, while businesses with a lower annual turnover can also submit prices and participate in the platform. According to the bill, the platform will be updated at 8 am and if the price changes during the day, the platform will be updated automatically.
Products are determined by decree from the Minister of Commerce.
It is noted that in the event of a violation, the director of the Consumer Protection Service has the authority to order the violator to immediately terminate the violation, to impose an administrative fine of up to 50 thousand euros and 1000 euros in the event of a continuation of the violation.< /p>
The discussion takes place in the presence of the Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry Giorgos Papanastasiou, who emphasized that the initiative comes to strengthen the efforts of the Service and in combination with the reduction of VAT on products (there is an effort to reduce VAT on other products as well). He pointed out that the businesses involved will continue to operate in full competition, prices will be set freely by the supermarkets.
Members of the Cyprus Consumers Association, the All Cyprus Union of Consumers and Quality of Life, the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (OEB), the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), the All Cyprus Organization of Craft Professional Store Managers (POVEK), the All Cyprus Association of Supermarkets , the Pancypriot Retail Trade Association, the Cyprus Free Trade Association, the Pancypriot Bakers' Association, the Consumer Goods Suppliers' Association and the trade unions PEO, SEK, DEOK and PASYDY.
Disagreements from involved bodies such as the Hypermarkets Association are already known, and the concern from KEBE and a representative of Consumer Suppliers.
The statements of the Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry Giorgos Papanastasiou:
The Government brought before the Parliament a bill which strengthens transparency in consumer products. We went through a discussion which did not satisfy me because it brought to the surface phobias that reflect the environment we have in Cyprus. In Cyprus we fear transparency. What they heard in the Commission turned out to be exactly the opposite, something that did not satisfy me. To come out and say that the transparency does not reflect them. Today's debate does not satisfy me. The truth is that we do not like transparency.
I will consult with the President of the Republic about the next steps. We will work for the consumer, there is accuracy out there in the market. We will provide as many tools as we can.
