PRESS STATEMENT - 12.07.2018

Today, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) adopted a non-legislative report denouncing the practice of dual product quality and calling for EU action to tackle it.

Monique Goyens, BEUC Director general, reacted:

“We hope industry will hear the message loud and clear: dual quality has no place in the Single Market. Wherever they live in the EU, consumers should be able to trust that the products they buy live up to the expectations set by its branding and packaging.   

“We welcome that Members of the European Parliament called for increased support of consumer organisations because of the role they can play in tackling dual quality. It is part of our member organisations’ daily job to compare products and help consumers figure out which ones have the best quality. Consumer groups can also sue companies whose business practices deceive consumers. Yet some groups, especially in Central-Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, struggle to fulfil their mission because of a lack of resources. 

“Now we look to the whole European Parliament to endorse the dual quality report in September. The next step must be to change the EU law on unfair commercial practices, as proposed by the Commission's New Deal for Consumers. EU consumer protection law must state clearly that selling products under different quality grades but under the same brand and with similar-looking packaging across various countries must be considered unfair if it misleads consumers.”