Translated using ChatGPT service.
On Tuesday, 12 August, the Cabinet of Ministers approved regulations developed by the Ministry of Economics, which establish the procedure by which food retailers provide information to the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) for consumer price comparison and food price monitoring.
“With these regulations, we are implementing the commitment expressed in the ‘Memorandum on Food Trade’ – to promote the operation of price monitoring and comparison tools and to ensure greater transparency of food prices. This will give consumers the opportunity to make more informed decisions about advantageous purchases and foster fair competition in the market,” emphasized Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis.
In accordance with Section 19.², Paragraph 5 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, the regulations set out the procedure for submitting information on consumer goods to the CSB in order to provide price comparison and food price monitoring.
The regulations determine the information to be submitted to the CSB for consumer price comparison and food price monitoring, as well as the procedure for the circulation, request, transfer, and storage of this information. They also define the list of product groups and goods to be included in the list of basic food items.
The regulations apply to food retailers with a net turnover exceeding EUR 400 million, who are obliged to provide data, as well as to other retail outlets that may do so voluntarily. The regulation establishes two data streams:
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Data for price comparison tools on current prices of goods included in basic food product groups – to be submitted to the CSB daily by 8:00 a.m.; these data are publicly available.
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Electronic (transaction) data for consumer price comparison – to be submitted to the CSB weekly for all goods; these data are restricted-access information, which may be used in certain cases for the purposes specified in the Consumer Rights Protection Law.
The new regulation will enter into force gradually –
The Central Statistical Bureau will, by 1 November 2025, send requests to food retailers who, in accordance with Section 19.², Paragraph 2 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, are obliged to provide data under these regulations. Food retailers will begin fulfilling the data submission requirements set out in the regulations as of 1 December 2025.