"There are stores that announce false promotions and discounts on prices recommended by the manufacturer. Redouble your attention. Learn how to decode signs and labels and not to be fooled," recommends the consumer protection organisation.
As part of this investigation, in October and November 2022, Deco Proteste visited anonymously 92 stores of 23 supermarket and equipment chains, in 19 municipalities, from the north to south of the country.
"In 13 of the 43 chains and online stores visited, there were practices that induced errors or did not conform to the rules of sales”.
What does the law say?
Deco recalls that since May 2022, prices and promotions have new rules:
Stores can only announce discounts if there is, in fact, a saving lower than the price to which the product was sold in the same store within 30 consecutive days prior to the application of a price reduction;
Signs or labels must show, in a clear way, the new price and the lowest price previously practiced;
They should also indicate the sale mode, as well as the start date and the duration of price reduction.
The same is true for housing which claims to be insulated and is not.
By K from Other on 06 Mar 2023, 13:50
Persil washing liquid and Finish dishwasher tablets yo-yo in price in the supermarkets here every month. They might be actually following the law in respect of the apparent reductions, but even at discount price are a total rip off. I also suspect collusion and price fixing between the different supermarkets.
By Eddie from Algarve on 06 Mar 2023, 16:30
I was checking baby products prices recently. Baby pushchair litetraxx, Ireland/UK 170eur, Portugal 250 EUR, Joie ispin car seat Ireland/UK 250 EUR, Portugal 420 EUR. Taking into account purchasing power these products are 3 to 4 time more expensive. Explanation?
By Robert from Alentejo on 07 Mar 2023, 13:24