Temu and Shein, checked for blood by ANPC. What irregularities are the inspectors paying attention to

ANPC has announced that it is checking the Temu and Shein shopping sites, and the commissioners of the institution advise consumers to inform themselves carefully before purchasing a product.

By the Observator editorial team on 23.04.2024, 16:52

ANPC announced, on Tuesday, in a press release, that it is checking the shopping sites and applications that operate as an online market, Temu and Shein.

“The action focuses on the possible unfair commercial practices of traders, in the relationship with consumers, likely to deform, essentially, their economic behavior, respectively potential violations of the horizontal legislation regarding product safety and consumer protection (inauthentic discounts) and aggressive practices – manipulative interfaces (dark patterns), selling under pressure (pressure – selling), rewarding a person’s involvement with a product or service with a prize (gamification), but also other aspects (for example, related to product safety)”, the commissioners said ANPC.

Customers must inform themselves carefully before purchasing a product

In this context, ANPC advises consumers who buy online from these sites to carefully inform themselves, before purchasing a product, about its characteristics, displayed prices, delivery costs, information about the merchant or available payment methods.

Consumers are also advised to read the “Terms and Conditions” section of the website from which they wish to purchase products. “Before concluding the purchase, consumers must check whether the merchant’s website contains correct and complete information regarding:

• his identification data (name, postal and electronic address, telephone number, registration number in the register of commercial companies and that of fiscal registration, etc.);
• the essential characteristics of the product;
• the price with all taxes included;
• delivery charges, if applicable;
• payment and delivery methods;
• the period of validity of the offer or the price;
• the existence and the way of exercising the right to unilaterally terminate the contract”, stated the cited source.

What ANPC recommends when consumers encounter problems when shopping online

ANPC recommends that, if consumers encounter a problem when shopping online, they try to resolve it directly with the economic operator, amicably.

“If this does not work, you can contact the Alternative Dispute Resolution Department of ANPC https://anpc.ro/ce-este-sal/, in the case of economic operators with registered office in Romania.

If the economic operator has its headquarters in another European state, you can contact the European Consumer Center in Romania https://eccromania.ro, which helps you free of charge when you have consumer protection problems with a product or service purchased from another European country, informs you free of charge about the rights you have during trips to another European country and offers you free support if you have a complaint against a European company, in order to solve the problem”, ANPC also sent.

The commissioners of the National Authority for Consumer Protection also mention that if the solution is not possible in any other way, a complaint can be made by accessing https://sesizari.anpc.ro, in the case of economic operators with registered office in Romania.