The book of comments and suggestions cancelled in retail

Since the start of October, the book of comments and suggestions is no longer needed at retail companies and restaurants 

The Ministry of Economy cancelled the order by which the form and procedure of use of the book of comments and suggestions at retail companies and restaurants was approved. The novation came into effect on October 2, 2020 року (from the day of the official publication).

The book of comments and suggestions was required under the following regulatory documents:

• rules of commission trade in non-food items;

• rules of small retail network operations;

• rules of potato, fruit and vegetable product retail;

• rules of restaurant business operations;

• rules of food retail;

• rules of product sales based on order outside retail shop or office premises;

• rules of non-food item retail.

From now on, the references to the use of that book were deleted from the above-mentioned documents.

We remind you that last year the Cabinet of Ministers, based on the initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, cancelled the mandatory use of the book of comments and suggestions by business entities of retail and public catering sectors and its placement on the customer information board.

This does not concern the services sector.

The book of comments and suggestions was to be available in every shop and in every hall of a restaurant with several halls. And if a consumer was not satisfied with something, he left his complaints about the sellers, waiters, services, etc. in that book. The manager of the facility had to investigate the issue and inform the complainant on the measures taken.

Now instead of the book, in order to protect his rights, the consumer can:

1. Contact the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the government hot phone line, the State Fiscal Service, the local executive agencies, local self-government bodies, court, etc;

2. Leave a comment or proposition in the Internet;

3. Send an application in a paper-based or electronic form using the contact details placed on the official website of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in the Public Relations section, Citizens’ appeals subsection.

To enable a consumer to exercise his/her right to file a complaint, business entities must place a customer information board at a well-visible and accessible place, where information on its name, its authorized body and the phone number must be published, along with the addresses and the phone number of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, State Fiscal Service, local executive agencies and local self-government bodies.