discounts without limits in the draft of the competition bill – Corriere.it

Objective: balances throughout the year. The draft law on competition, which today 28 March arrives on the table of the Council of Ministers, among other things introduces a series of innovations in the “trade” sector. The one with the greatest impact concerns the subtraction from the Regions of the regulation of the periods and duration of sales and liquidation sales, which – according to the intention of the government – therefore become free. This means that promotional sales can be released from stakes and dates and can also be organized close to the sales.

How can the law change?

The current legislation, as all shopping enthusiasts know, requires the Regions to establish the date, duration and modality of the “extraordinary sales” (end of season, promotional and liquidation). The Regions, by custom, generally agreed on the sales period (in January and July). Now, in the draft of the bill, in article 7, precisely those relating to the possibility of establishing dates and durations are eliminated from the powers of the Regions. Which in a nutshell should be able to mean “sales throughout the year”. Even if, it must be said, the rules of commerce indicate in end-of-season sales products susceptible to depreciation (for example: bathing suits, in view of the end of summer, or coats as we move towards spring).

Also new for promotions

As mentioned, the legislation on promotions, i.e. those discounts that a shop offers to attract customers, will probably also change. Currently, the Regions generally prohibited promotions close to sales. With the amendment, there will no longer be a ban on overlapping these two forms of price discounts. Furthermore, retailers will be able to request a single authorization to carry out sales and promotions even for businesses located in different Municipalities.

Competitions for street vendors

To comply with European obligations and to avoid an infringement procedure, the government has also decided to address the age-old issue of street vendors. The draft enshrines the assignment of micro-enterprises and workers by tender, safeguarding the interests of the current concessionaires. The tenders must provide for a maximum number of concessions in the name of the same operator operating in the same market and in the Municipalities that have not yet started the proceedings. The concessions will have a duration of 10 years and existing ones may be extended until 31 December 2024.