In the era of rapidly developing online commerce and constantly changing technologies, consumers are increasingly confronted with unfair commercial practices. If you have ever found yourself in a situation where a trader does not fulfill their promise or deceives you with misleading advertising, you should know that you have the right to report it to the Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC).
There are five main types of unfair commercial practices that often affect consumers and against which the CPC can take action.
Abuse of a dominant position is the first serious violation that the CPC faces. This occurs when a company with a dominant position in the market imposes unreasonably high prices, limits choice or blocks access to competitors. In such cases, consumers can file a report, describing the specific situation and its consequences.
The second type of violation is misleading advertising and unfair competition. In the event that a company advertises a product with false information, consumers have the right to collect evidence such as screenshots and video recordings and file a complaint with the CPC.
Price manipulation and cartel agreements are especially harmful - when competing companies secretly agree on the same prices or limit supply. If you notice that companies from the same sector raise prices simultaneously for no apparent reason, you can report it to the commission.
The fourth category includes unfair trading conditions and tied sales, when the consumer is forced to purchase additional goods in order to receive the desired promotion.
The last common violation is a delay in delivery or refusal to fulfill a contract. A typical example is when you order a product with a delivery date, but it does not arrive on time and the merchant does not inform you of the reasons.
Complaints to the Commission for the Protection of Competition can be filed in several ways - online via a form on the official platform, in writing by post, or by phone and email. The key to considering the report is to attach evidence such as screenshots, documents or records.
Experts remind that filing a report not only protects the rights of the individual consumer, but also contributes to a fairer and more competitive market for all.