Consumer Protection temporarily closes 38 Lidl stores in Romania

Lidl supermarkets throughout the country were fined over 7 million lei by commissioners from the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC), for selling moldy fruit and vegetables, expired food products or with damaged packaging, windows and shelves full of mess and leftovers, but irregularities were also found regarding the labeling or the inconsistency of the price on the shelf with the one at the cash register. In the case of 38 stores, it was decided to temporarily stop the activity until the deficiencies are remedied.

The National Authority for Consumer Protection announced on Friday that, since the beginning of the year, it has carried out – as part of a control theme that provides for the supervision of the way in which the large retail chains, operating in Romania, comply with the legislation in the field – 307 checks of Lidl supermarkets, at national level, an ANPC press release informs.

Following the detected irregularities, ANPC commissioners issued 481 contravention fines, worth approximately 7.3 million lei, and 133 warnings.

At the same time, they decided to permanently stop the sale of non-compliant products worth over 125,000 lei, temporarily stop the provision of services, until the deficiencies are remedied, in the case of 38 units located in the counties: Arad, Prahova, Caraş- Severin, Hunedoara, Neamţ, Iasi, Constanta, Olt, Dolj, Braşov, Alba, Mureş, Bihor, Satu Mare, Sălaj, Bistriţa Năsăud, Ilfov and the municipality of Bucharest.

Also, the commissioners proposed the termination of unfair commercial practices, in the case of 66 units, and decided on the temporary closure for a period of up to 6 months, for a store in Bacău municipality.

“I don’t know how this network works in other countries. We were hoping that at least in Romania it would be an example for everyone else, but especially for us. I also don’t know if, in the country of origin of this economic operator, they eat moldy vegetables and fruits or if the prices on the shelf do not match those at home. I also wonder if, after the arrival of an authority in control and the application of sanctions, things are treated with the same superficiality and disinterest. We had taken pens to learn what we had to do, but we had to write with them in minutes of sanction”, said Horia Constantinescu, ANPC president.