At issue is Decree-Law 109-G/2021, which results from the transposition of a Community directive on consumer protection rights and which came into force in May last year. The diploma brings in stricter rules for merchants, forcing, for example, retailers to post the lowest price practiced in the previous 30 days, including those that are practiced in any periods of sales or promotions, and not just the percentage of the discount.

In addition, the new law also imposes the obligation to display the lowest price previously practiced, by reference to which the price reduction practice is carried out, on signs, labels or lists where prices are posted, leaving this information to be alternative to indicating the percentage of price reduction. At the time, the Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies (APED), which represents the food and specialized retail sector, criticized the measure.

“Ready-to-wear”, “supermarkets/minimarkets/grocery stores” and “articles/household utilities” are the sectors of activity with the highest number of registered infringements, ASAE said.