A rising number of consumers complain about the noncompliance of “intelligent” products to the National Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance. Last year, the Agency received 210 complaints of the kind, by 30 more than in 2017. A number of 44 persons so far this year complained about noncompliant mobile phones. The subject was discussed in a news conference held in the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, IPN reports.

According to the Agency’s director Iurie Eremia, if the consumer rights are violated, the consumers can submit a free form complaint to the Agency by mail as a recommended parcel, can take the complaint in person to the Agency or can file it online. “The consumer should only submit the complaint and the procedures are then performed in accordance with the law,” stated the director, noting most of the complaints refer to noncompliant industrial products, tourist and air transport services and public utilities.

Attending the event, Marius Pârvu, president of the National Authority for Consumer Protection of Romania, welcomed the exchange of experience and good practices, especially in the financial-banking sector where abusive clauses are often met in lending contracts or those concerning utilities. “We identity them, propose the penalty and transmit it to the court, which decides the size of fines and the abusive clauses that should be replaced in the contract,” stated Marius Pârvu, adding advertising is another problematic area There are business entities that announce promotions, but the prices on shelves as part of these do not correspond to the paid prices. The Romanians also complain about the poor quality of food.

In the course of 2018, the National Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance received over 2,000 complaints. As a result of the taken measures, sums totaling over 1 million lei were refunded to consumers. A number of 255 complaints were filed in the first two months of this year.