Procedures for Indication of Prices of Products and Services

Issued pursuant to
Section 13, Paragraph three
of the Law on the Procedure for Introduction of Euro
and Section 17, Paragraph three
of the Consumer Rights Protection Law

[7 May 2013]

I. General Provisions

1. This Regulation prescribes:

1.1. the procedure by which selling price and price per unit of measurement for products offered to a consumer shall be indicated, as well as the procedure by which price for services shall be indicated; and

1.2. the procedure of dual display of prices for products and services, as well as the procedure for the control of the requirements for dual display and converting.

[7 May 2013]

2. This Regulation applies to sellers and service providers who perform economic activity or professional activity by offering products or services to consumers.

[19 June 2007]

3. The price shall be indicated in such a way that it is unmistakable, is easily identifiable and clearly legible, and so that the consumer understands precisely to which product or service the price applies. The price shall be indicated in writing, except in cases when the consumer can find out the price in another clearly visible form.

II. Indication of the Price of a Product

4. When offering products to consumers, the seller shall indicate the piece price or the selling price (hereinafter - piece price) and the price per certain unit of measurement. The piece price is the price for one unit of a product, indivisible quantity or packaging of a product. The price per certain unit of measurement is the price for one kilogram, litre, metre, square metre or cubic metre, or other quantity of a product unit in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation. The piece price and the price per certain unit of measurement of a product shall include value added tax and all other taxes.

[19 June 2007]

5. The price per certain unit of measurement shall be indicated for such non-food products as are sold by volume, weight, length or surface area, applying the price to one unit of volume, weight, length or surface area.

6. If a product is sold by quantities that are much larger or much smaller than one litre, metre, kilogram or square metre, a multiple of the unit of measurement or part thereof shall also be regarded as a unit of measurement, providing the consumer with clearly understandable information regarding the unit of measurement to which the price applies.

7. The piece price and the price per certain unit of measurement of a product shall be indicated on the product, on the packaging thereof or on the price-tag which shall be placed so that the price indicated thereon cannot be mistaken for the price of another product, as well as it shall, unambiguously for a consumer, indicate the product to which the price applies.

[19 June 2007]

8. If it is impossible for practical reasons to indicate the price in accordance with Paragraph 7 of this Regulation, the piece price and the price per certain unit of measurement may be indicated in a price list on a special screen intended for price indication, or in another clearly visible form.

9. [19 June 2007]

10. The piece price and the price per certain unit of measurement of a product do not have to be indicated:

10.1. for a product which is utilised in providing a service and which is part of the service; and

10.2. in auctions and in marketing of works of art and antiques.

11. The price per certain unit of measurement shall not be indicated if it is equivalent to the piece price.

12. The price per certain unit of measurement does not have to be indicated:

12.1. for various products sold in the same packaging;

12.2. for dishes and beverages offered in public catering undertakings, except for alcoholic beverages (in accordance with Paragraph 13.² of this Regulation);

12.3. for food products, if for preparation of which it is necessary to add ingredients (milk, cream, eggs and other ingredients) the price of which may not be regarded as insignificant;

12.4. for the products the weight of which exceeds 10 grams or the volume of which does not exceed 10 mililitres;

12.5. for the products that are sold in pieces, bunches or pots and for which the weight has not been precisely specified, including fruit, plants, vegetables, pastry and cakes; and

12.6. for other products for which such indication would not be useful or would be liable to create confusion.

[7 May 2013]

12.¹ The price per certain unit of measurement does not have to be indicated at small sales points where it is not possible to ensure the indication of the price per certain unit of measurement in the manner easily identifiable and clearly legible for a consumer. This Paragraph shall not apply to the case referred to in Paragraph 13 of this Regulation and to self-service sales points.

[7 May 2013]

12.² If the price per certain unit of measurement is not indicated in accordance with Paragraph 12.¹ of this Regulation, the seller shall provide verbal information upon request of a consumer.

[7 May 2013]

13. For products which are not packaged and the quantity of which is measured in the presence of a consumer at his or her request, only the price per certain unit of measurement shall be indicated.

[19 June 2007]

13.¹ When offering alcoholic beverages for consumption on site, the price for the volume offered shall be indicated in units of measurement of one type - in mililitres or centilitres. In indicating the price, the height of letters and figures may not be less than 3 mm.

[6 April 2010]

13.² At sales points where alcoholic beverages are offered for consumption on site, in respect of beverages the price of which for the volume offered exceeds 50.00 lats, prices shall be indicated in a separate informative material, except for the case when it is offered to purchase a packaging of alcoholic beverage (a bottle). The informative material shall be placed on the place visible and accessible for a consumer.

[6 April 2010]

13.³ In the informative material referred to in Paragraph 13.² of this Regulation the price shall be indicated:

13.³1. for 50 mililitres in which alcohol content is 25° or more;

13.³2. for 200 mililitres in which alcohol content is less than 25° .

[6 April 2010]

14. If a sale of products, a reduction or discounts of prices have been announced, the initial price and the price after reduction shall be clearly indicated for products and services.

15. In order to indicate the price per certain unit of measurement for packaged food products, it shall be calculated by dividing the piece price by the net quantity of the product. If the food products are prepared in sauce, marinade or other liquid, the only function of which is generation of a medium and which does not determine the choice of the consumer, the price per certain unit of measurement shall be calculated by dividing the piece price by the net quantity of the product (not including the quantity of sauce, water, marinade or other liquid).

[19 June 2007]

16. [7 May 2013]

17. [7 May 2013]

18. If an advertisement indicates the piece price of a product, the price per certain unit of measurement of the product shall also be indicated, except in cases when the price per certain unit of measurement for the relevant product does not have to be indicated in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation.

III. Indication of the Price of Services

19. When offering services to consumers, the service provider shall indicate a price which includes value added tax and all other taxes.

20. The price of services shall be indicated in a price list or in another clearly visible form. If the final price of a service is not known, the method of calculation of the price shall be indicated. The price list shall be freely accessible.

IV. Supervision

21. Compliance with this Regulation shall be monitored by the Consumer Rights Protection Centre.

21.¹ Observance of this Regulation in respect of the supervision of the requirements for dual display and converting shall be controlled by the Consumer Rights Protection Centre. The Consumer Rights Protection Centre may perform inspections in co-operation with the associations for consumer rights protection that are referred to in Section 22 and 23 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law.

[7 May 2013]

22. For violations of this Regulation, liability shall arise as prescribed by law.

IV¹. Indication of Prices for Products and Services in Euro and Lats During Dual Display Period

[7 May 2013]

22.¹ During dual display period the final prices for products and services shall be indicated in lats and euro by carrying out the converting in accordance with Section 6 of the Law on the Procedure for Introduction of Euro.

22.² Three months prior to the day of introduction of euro the price per certain unit of measurement does not have to be indicated in euro, except for the case referred to in Paragraph 13 of this Regulation, as well as the initial price for the products and services in euro, if a sale of products, a reduction or discounts of prices have been announced.

22.³ Six months after the day of introduction of euro the price per certain unit of measurement does not have to be indicated in lats, except for the case referred to in Paragraph 13 of this Regulation, as well as the initial price for the products and services in lats, if a sale of products, a reduction or discounts of prices have been announced.

22.⁴ The requirements referred to in this Chapter shall not apply to the prices that are indicated in electronic displays which due to technical reasons do not allow for the indication of prices in two currencies. In the case referred to in this Paragraph the price shall be indicated in the currency that is determined as basic currency for that moment, by indicating the prices additionally in a separate informative material in accordance with the requirements referred to in this Chapter. The informative material shall be easily accessible and available for consumers.

22.⁵ When indicating the prices for products and services in the electronic environment, a seller or service provider may indicate the price in two currencies, by offering to use a currency conversion calculator. The currency conversion calculator shall be easily accessible available for consumers.

22.⁶ The requirements referred to in this Chapter shall not apply to printed prices that are indicated on the instant lottery tickets, figure lottery coupons and figure lottery receipts. In the case referred to in this Paragraph the price in the second currency which is not displayed on the product shall be indicated additionally in a separate informative material during the entire dual display period of prices. The informative material shall be easily accessible and available for consumers.

V. Closing Provisions

[6 April 2010]

23. This Regulation comes into force on 1 January 2000.

24. Paragraphs 13.¹, 13.² and 13.³ of this Regulation shall come into force on 1 May 2010.

[6 April 2010]

25. Chapter IV¹ of this Regulation shall be in force from 1 October 2013 by 30 June 2014.

[7 May 2013]

Informative Reference to the European union Directive

This Regulation contains legal norms arising from Directive 98/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 on consumer protection in the indication of the prices of products offered to consumers.

[19 June 2007]

Prime Minister V. Krištopans

Minister for Finance I. Godmanis

Translation © 2013 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)