Offline Retail Rules May Be Extended To Online Stores

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The Commission on the Implementation of the Code of Good Practices (CDP) will study the work of online retailers in the consumer market, and look at the possibility of extending the CDP regulations to the online realms.

This comes in the wake of COVID forcing a mass shift in user behaviour from offline to online, and suppliers are unhappy that online platforms change contracts and tariffs unilaterally – making it hard to plan business processes.

Relevant consultations will also be held with the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT).

The FMC regulates, on a voluntary basis, the relationship between retail chains and suppliers, primarily of food and consumer goods (FMCG). In particular, the code regulates the rules for ordering and returning goods, terms of settlements, penalties, the procedure for agreeing prices, discounts, etc.

Representatives of online retailers believe that they voluntarily comply with all the basic requirements of the law on trade and insist that the current self-regulation norms for offline retail are not suitable for them due to the specifics of the industry.

Participants in the online market are preparing a position supported by the current legislation, after which they will continue consultations with the commission on the application of the KDP. AKIT said that they are studying the issue.