Draft law on consumer protection: Transparency with prices, here are the obligations of entities

2025-07-02 14:38:00, Ekonomi CNA

Draft law on consumer protection: Transparency with prices, here are the

A draft law "On Consumer Protection" brings a completely changed approach to this field, aiming at approximation with European Union directives.

The draft was submitted for consultation by the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation.

"The fundamental aim of the draft law is to ensure a high, uniform and effective level of protection for Albanian consumers, by establishing clear guarantees for contractual transparency, pre-contractual information and the right to withdrawal, stronger mechanisms for legal remedies and administrative enforcement, and new provisions for product repair, protection on digital platforms and green advertising," the report states.

The law has a total of 240 articles that cover almost every aspect, but one of them is related to prices and the transparency that traders must have towards consumers. Thus, article 12 dwells extensively on this part under the name "price indicator".

According to the article, every product offered to the consumer must have the selling price marked:

a) for packaged products, the price for the packaged quantity and the price per unit must be given;

b) for products that are not packaged and measured in the presence of the consumer, only the unit price is given;

c) for products sold in quantity, the use of a measuring instrument is mandatory;

ç) in cases where the unit price of the product is the same as its selling price, it is sufficient to set the selling price of the product.

"For all services offered to consumers, it is mandatory to indicate the price of the service provided. If the service consists of several different and separate parts, the price of each of them and the final price are given. If at the time of conclusion of the contract the final price has not yet been given, the service provider is obliged to indicate the method of its calculation.

The price indications of the product offered must be clear, easily recognizable and legible.

The selling price of the product offered is expressed only in lek.

The points of this article, with the exception of point 4, do not apply to products obtained through auction, as well as to the sale of antiques and works of art. During advertising, when reference is made to the selling price of a product, the price per unit of measurement must also be indicated, in accordance with the provisions of this article,” this article states.

Another article defines the methods of billing, focusing on services such as energy supply, water or telephone payments.

"The sale of energy and water supply is calculated based on real consumption and assessed through metering devices."

The actual consumption value is presented on an invoice, together with the price, in a clear, legible and non-suspicious manner.

The bill for telecommunications services complies with the provisions of Law No. 54/2024 "On electronic communications in the Republic of Albania".

Invoices presented to the consumer must give him the opportunity to accurately verify the calculation of the sale or service provided within a certain period.

Invoices must be delivered to the consumer at their place of residence, officially (by mail or hand) and no later than fifteen calendar days before their payment deadline.

"All services to the consumer for the drafting and delivery of invoices are free of charge," it is stated in Article 18 of the draft law./ Monitor Magazine