Czech government denies banning sales on groceries

A battle has broken out between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Czech Confederation of Commerce and Tourism (COCR) over the right of stores to offer sales and discounts. COCR president Tomáš Prouza told the Czech News Agency the government had no right to ban sales on selected goods and that large numbers of low income consumers were dependent on them. "Sales are an important instrument in the fight for clients in a very competitive market," he said. The Ministry of Agriculture's spokesman said Prouza was lying, claiming that a proposed to the law would regulate only the relationship of stores with their suppliers. The change would force stores with revenues of over CZK 5bn annually to sign a document with their suppliers prior to any sale detailing the specific goods that would be affected, the amount of goods that would be sold at what price and on which days. The law would specifically outlaw stores from demanding compensation for expenses incurred in putting groceries on sale or for advertising those sales.