The General Directorate of Commerce of the Ministry of Employment, Business, and Self-Employment has launched the inspection campaign on sales during this year’s summer sales period. This action is included in the Commercial Inspection Plan of Andalusia, whose main objective is to ensure strict compliance with current regulations by the establishments that make up the interior commerce sector.
Sales during the sales period, defined in the Consolidated Text of the Law on Interior Commerce of Andalusia (Legislative Decree 1/2012, of March 20), are those in which consumers are offered a reduction in prices or special conditions that represent a decrease compared to the usual prices. The regulations establish specific requirements that must be complied with, especially regarding the information and advertising of the offers.
One of the main purposes of the campaign is to prevent the undermining of consumers’ rights and guarantees, preventing the possible confusion and defenselessness that irregular practices may generate. To achieve this, the Inspection focuses on verifying, for example, that establishments participating in the summer sales clearly indicate the start and end dates of the period in the advertising and information provided to the public, as well as ensuring that the discounted price of each product appears alongside the usual price, without overlapping.
The inspection tasks also include ensuring that, in the event that sales, clearance, or liquidation sales are carried out simultaneously in the same location, they are properly separated and differentiated in the spaces dedicated to each one. Similarly, establishments must have sufficient stocks of identical products to meet the demand created by the offer, in relation to its duration and the importance given to it in advertising campaigns.
It is also not allowed to consider ‘sales’ those deteriorated items acquired specifically for this purpose, or that were not ready for sale to the end consumer at least one month before the start date of the period.
In addition to protecting consumer rights, the summer sales inspection campaign also has a direct and positive impact on improving the competitiveness of the commercial sector. By ensuring that all merchants comply with the same rules, it aims to prevent legal fraud and illicit practices that could lead to unfair competition.
Sales Period
Although there is already freedom to set sales periods, they usually concentrate in the months of July and August. Therefore, the inspection visits to commercial establishments for the summer campaign will take place during the traditional period established, from July 1 to August 31. However, if it is found that establishments taking advantage of the freedom to set their summer sales anticipate them, inspection actions may also be brought forward to verify compliance with regulations from the beginning.
The Commercial Inspection staff supervises the conditions of the offers and their duration, verifying compliance with all regulatory requirements for sales. In this regard, the General Directorate of Commerce assumes the direction and coordination of these actions, which are implemented by the provincial delegations in their respective territorial areas.
