2024-03-20 22:35:30
MEPs also want a smooth transition to EU product safety regulations
Vienna (PK) – The topic of “deceptive packaging” also known as “shrinkflation” was the basis of a debate on the topic of consumer protection today National Council meeting. With the votes of the government parties, a motion for a resolution was adopted which calls on Economics Minister Martin Kocher and Consumer Protection Minister Johannes Rauch to collect information and present measures to combat “deceptive packaging”. The FPÖ’s own initiative on this issue remained in the minority with the votes of the FPÖ and SPÖ. With the votes of the ÖVP, the Greens and the SPÖ, a resolution was adopted that aims to ensure a smooth transition to the new EU product safety regulations that will apply from December 2024.
Combat “deceptive packages”.
To carry out hidden price increases reduced filling quantities To counteract this with the same pack sizes and sales prices, it was decided with the votes of the ÖVP and the Greens to examine the situation and possible countermeasures. Economics Minister Martin Kocher and Consumer Protection Minister Johannes Rauch should now determine whether such practices have actually increased recently and thus consumers have been misled, and propose measures once morest them. The two ministers should also take action once morest deceptive packaging at the EU level.
In its own initiative, the FPÖ called for an amendment to the price labeling law in order to ensure “clear, distinct and unmistakable” visibility and legibility of the price per unit of measurement and thus of the basic price. The FPÖ also spoke out in its Application to take anti-trust action once morest producers who rely on shrinkflation. Only the FPÖ and SPÖ agreed to this.
Christian Drobits (SPÖ) criticized the growing problem of “deceptive packages”, which are drivers of inflation and must be stopped immediately, and that little is being said by the governing parties. The coalition is not submitting any law, just an application, which itself is a “deceit,” said Drobits. Something must finally be implemented, demanded Elisabeth Feichtinger (SPÖ) and referred to existing regulations in connection with packaging in Germany.
Measures are needed once morest deceptive packaging, so we want to check where they occur, said Bedrana Ribo (Greens). France presented a law on this topic at the end of 2023, but it still needs to be evaluated by the European Commission. National solo efforts would therefore be of little use, so we must now wait for the result in France, said Ribo. In Austria, the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) has already won a lawsuit once morest a producer in connection with deceptive packaging. It is therefore important that consumers contact the VKI if they notice deceptive packaging, emphasized Ribo.
Nothing further is happening, “everything is being postponed” and “shelved,” criticized Peter Wurm (FPÖ). The Federal Competition Authority and VKI might take action, but both bodies have been reduced and starved instead of strengthened, said Wurm. In addition, it is “thanks to the EU” that there are no longer uniform pack sizes and that deception can happen. Wurm criticized that an alibi request from the government parties was not enough.
It is important to implement measures in accordance with European law, said Peter Weidinger (ÖVP). He also pointed out the measures included in the financial education package, which provide information regarding the functioning of the market economy and contain information on how to read product information correctly. Weidinger emphasized that the EU price information directive requires the basic prices to be displayed. It’s regarding transparency and fairness, said Andreas Kühberger (ÖVP), because producers are receiving less and less money for their agricultural products, even though consumers have to pay more and more for them.
Katharina Werner (NEOS) described the government parties’ proposal as “strange” because the problems with deceptive packaging have long been known and the VKI regularly looks at the issue. The basic problem behind “deceptive packages” is inflation, which must be combated, demanded Werner.
Shrinkflation is a “nuisance and an evil” and should not be tolerated, said Consumer Protection Minister Johannes Rauch. It is not true that the Federal Competition Authority and the VKI have been systematically thinned out – the opposite is true. The Federal Competition Authority has been strengthened in its rights and increased its personnel and the VKI has been financially secured and is playing a central role in combating “deceptive packages,” said Rauch. According to Rauch, he has commissioned the VKI to focus on a “shrinkflation lawsuit”. One case has already been won and another has been commissioned. There is no need for additional, lengthy collection of data on the subject of shrinkflation, just the compilation of all the data that is already available and its rapid assessment. The aforementioned bill from France on this topic must be subject to a European notification procedure to the European Commission, and the result should be available by March 28th. If this is given the “green light,” then “we should probably advocate for similar measures in Austria,” said Rauch. In addition, the next informal meeting of the EU consumer protection ministers in just under a month will offer a good opportunity to discuss the issue at a European level, said Rauch.
MEPs want smooth transition to EU product safety rules
In order to ensure a smooth transition in Austria to the new EU product safety regulations that will apply from December 2024, the MPs from the ÖVP and the Greens are addressing a Resolution to Consumer Protection Minister Rauch. The purpose of the resolution was also supported by the SPÖ. In the interest of consumer safety, it is important to quickly implement the necessary legal adjustment measures and, in collaboration with the social partners, to sensitize manufacturers, importers and dealers in particular to the new regime with suitable information measures, the application states.
The new EU regulation on product safety responds primarily to the increase in online purchases and the sharp increase in dangerous products, said ÖVP mandate Alexandra Tanda. To protect vulnerable groups, especially children, it is important that dangerous goods are removed from circulation quickly and recalls are made more efficiently.
Bedrana Ribo (Greens) emphasized that it is important that there can be a rapid, smooth transition to the new EU regulations on product safety standards. Strengthening market surveillance is also an important aspect of the application.
Petra Wimmer (SPÖ) emphasized that the issue of safety requirements is particularly important for children’s toys. Imported toys in particular often contain harmful chemicals and are therefore not allowed to be sold. Klaus Köchl (SPÖ) assured the minister of his parliamentary group’s support for consumer protection concerns. It is important to involve the social partners and the states accordingly.
Peter Wurm (FPÖ) sharply criticized the fact that the ÖVP and the Greens were adopting what he saw as a meaningless “pro forma motion” while ignoring a number of sensible motions from the opposition. Nothing has happened in the area of consumer protection for five years.
NEOS MP Katharina Werner said that, according to the information the minister gave to MPs on the Consumer Protection Committee, everything the motion required was already being implemented, which is why the motion was unnecessary. It would be more important if all political groups talked regarding an important topic such as the creation of a debt atlas. She therefore renewed the offer to discuss this.
Federal Minister Johannes Rauch emphasized that his ministry was already active, but that submissions from the EU Commission still had to be awaited and discussions had to be held with the federal states. He rejected the statement that nothing had happened in the area of consumer protection and listed a number of measures. (Continuation of the National Council) bea/sox
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