About the directive
The main purpose of the Price Indication Directive is to ensure that the selling price and the price per unit of measurement (unit price) are indicated for all products offered by traders to consumers
This facilitates the comparison of prices for consumers. The selling price must be unambiguous, easily identifiable and clearly legible.
The Price Indication Directive has been amended by Directive (EU) 2019/2161 of 27 November 2019 on better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules, part of the ‘Review of EU consumer law - New Deal for Consumers”.
Guidance
On 17 December 2021, the European Commission adopted a Commission Notice on the interpretation and application of Article 6a of the Price Indication Directive (‘the PID Guidance’). Article 6a of the PID addresses the issue of transparency of price reductions by introducing specific rules to ensure that they are genuine.
The purpose of the PID Guidance is to facilitate the proper application of Article 6a of the directive. It covers the amendments introduced by the Better Enforcement and Modernisation Directive (EU) 2019/2161 that enter into application from 28 May 2022.
The PID Guidance provides legal interpretation, including on:
- the scope of application of Article 6a
- interplay with the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive
- price reduction announcements and indication of the ‘prior’ price
- indication of the ‘prior’ price in case of perishable goods, ‘new’ arrivals and progressive price reductions