Retail chains that sell white goods are not worried about the fact that from April 15 they will be legally required to publish and update the prices of the products they offer. And now, they are briefing about Free Press This practice is also established in their stores, as they receive such price lists daily and their changes are published on their websites.

– Whether it's a stove, washing machine, computer, air conditioner or small household appliances, some of their prices are subject to constant changes and citizens follow this, so I don't think we will have any problems with the legal obligation – says a manager of a well-known retail chain for white goods.

On the other hand, stores that sell small hardware will have problems, because they have thousands of items. Some of their prices, such as those of screws, do not suffer such changes up and down, while pharmacies, as well as grocery stores, have constant promotions. Bakers and confectioners, who are also obliged by law, are also in trouble.
Last week, the director of the SMI, Vlatko Stojkoski, reminded retailers that they have 45 days to prepare and update their websites with prices in their markets daily. He was adamant that this obligation would not be an additional burden on companies, which already have an IT department in charge of these activities.

– The price of the shelves from April 15 must be the same as that published on the website of any market, hardware store, white goods store… So, all large, medium and small retailers are legally obliged to do so. The obligation is mandatory for all those who have more than 10 employees, including bakeries and pastry shops – explained Stojkoski.

On February 25, the Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Consumer Protection, for which the ruling MPs expect greater transparency of prices in markets, improved competitiveness and price reductions. MP Bojan Stojanovski from VMRO-DPMNE stressed that by submitting these legislative amendments, they have decided to go in two directions – to accept the practices that are better in Western countries and to take measures that have proven good in practice so far.

– Citizens will now be able to choose where they will spend their money because it is not normal to have prices in markets that are the highest at the Balkan level, prices higher than those of EU members, it is not normal. We are sure that in the coming period there will be a reduction in prices that will be acceptable for Macedonian citizens as well – Stojanovski underlined.

This law applies to small, medium and large retailers, excluding micro-traders and sole traders. These amendments also give inspectors the authority to carry out checks if they see price discrepancies.
With it, retailers (small, medium and large) are obliged to publish product prices on their websites so that consumers are better informed, and those that have more than one store are obliged to publish the prices of goods individually, for each of their stores.

 After Plneković and Mickoski, Diocletian's move follows

Even the reputable "New York Times" wrote about inflation and high prices in Croatia, comparing the situation to the time of Emperor Diocletian, reports H1 Croatia.

"In 301 AD, Emperor Diocletian made a bold but ultimately unsuccessful decision to curb the inflation that was ravaging the eastern part of the divided Roman Empire. The prices of everything from purple thread to feathers, slaves, and cattle were set by his 'Edict of Maximum Prices.'"

Violators faced the death penalty. Diocletian left power about four years after the Edict was passed, observing its failure from his lavish palace in the heart of modern-day Split,” writes The New York Times, comparing it to today’s law, with which the Croatian government is trying to take a similar approach to curb prices that have risen dramatically in recent years, reports Večernji List. The penalties are less drastic than those of Diocletian, but violators face fines of up to 30.000 euros.

The rules that came into effect this month represent the Croatian government’s third attempt to control prices with a decree from September 2022. The first two attempts were ineffective, as retailers simply stopped stocking most price-controlled products. This time, the government claims it is serious – the law requires that price-regulated products be available, and inspectors are tasked with carrying out regular checks and fining violators. Under Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s new rules, a list of all 70 products whose prices are restricted must be clearly displayed at the entrances of stores. More than a thousand years ago, Diocletian’s edict accused merchants of greed and artificially inflated prices.