He reminded: government agencies acting as consumer protection authorities inspect commercial units throughout the year to enforce consumer rights, and are also present at Christmas markets.
He said that the specialists investigate, among other things, the display of prices, the fulfillment of the obligation to issue invoices, unfair trade practices, the authenticity of measuring devices and the measurement itself.
According to him, the most common mistake is that traders display prices incorrectly. He drew attention to the fact that the selling price and the unit price must be properly indicated, because the consumer must know exactly what amount he has to pay for a given product.
He added: it still happens that the consumer is not given an invoice, in which case the employees of the government offices transfer the case to the competent National Tax and Customs Office. He indicated: it also happens that they try to deceive consumers with unfair commercial practices, and the consumer protection authority acts in these cases as well.
Norbert Eitmann drew attention to the importance of consumer awareness. He suggested that customers think carefully about what they need and where they get it from, whether they order it at a Christmas market, in the subway, or online, because this can affect the enforcement of consumer rights, if, for example, a problem related to warranty or right of withdrawal arises with the product in connection.
He added that it is important for customers to be aware of their warranty and guarantee rights in the event of a defective product, and that in the case of online orders, they can withdraw from the contract without reason within 14 days.
With regard to online shopping, he suggested that, if possible, people should buy from a Hungarian web store rather than one of dubious origin in the Far East, because this way they will be able to assert their consumer rights more easily later on.
Norbert Eitmann also said that the safety of products – such as string lights and Christmas decorations – is also being investigated at fairs and commercial units; in this regard, he suggested that customers should not buy them in subways and Far Eastern department stores, but in specialized stores.
2024-12-17 12:15:00