In recent months, there has been a sharp increase in consumer complaints to the Competition Committee regarding services in the public catering sector. In particular, it is said that in some restaurants and cafes, in addition to the cost of food, 10-15 percent, and sometimes even up to 20 percent of the "service fee" is forcibly charged as an additional payment. Complaints were also made about some institutions demanding advance deposits from clients.
The committee emphasizes that such cases may violate the fundamental rights of consumers. In accordance with the current legislation - Articles 4, 19 and 21 of the Law "On Protection of Consumer Rights," every citizen has the right to receive comprehensive information about goods and services, to freely choose them, and to demand quality service. The contractor is obliged to provide the service within the established timeframe, in the required volume and quality. Most importantly, the seller or service provider has absolutely no right to encourage the buyer to make mandatory additional purchases or charge for unprovided services.
Based on the complaints, the Competition Committee issued a strict warning to the owners of the public catering facility. It notes that collecting service fees without notifying the buyer is an illegal practice. Therefore, directors and entrepreneurs are obliged to familiarize the client with accurate and open information in advance about all conditions, such as food prices, the procedure for serving, and the amount of the waiter's service.
The committee also emphasized the need to introduce the possibility of "self-service" in some food outlets, not to force unnecessary additional service offers, and to explain the basis of each payment to the client.
In short, the signals coming from citizens are forcing government agencies to establish even stricter control in this area. Consumer fee - priority and liability may be established for any practice that contradicts the client's interests.
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