The National Directorate for the Protection of Consumer Rights inspected 82 business entities in the Old Center of the capital and imposed fines of over 800,000 lei. More than 500 kilograms of inappropriate food products were seized. The activities of 23 business entities have been temporarily suspended, and two divisions have been closed for 6-12 months, the ANPK press release states.

After the detected violations, the commissioners of the CRPCR Bucharest-Ilfov applied the following sanctions to this point – inspections are ongoing:

• fines for offenses in the amount of more than 800,000 lei

• 22 warnings

• final termination of sale of more than half a ton of non-conforming food products worth approximately 22,000 lei

• temporary suspension of the sale of inappropriate non-food products in the amount of about 90,000 lei

• temporary suspension of the provision of services until deficiencies are eliminated to 23 business entities (17 units, 1 hot., 2 coffee machines, 3 food blocks)

• temporary closure of the unit for a period of 6 months to 12 months for 2 economic operators (Corbu Proiect Impex SRL and Covaci Cult SRL (Bazaar))

• a proposal to pass a decision on the termination of unfair commercial practices for TC Covaci Cult.

“For a business to be called Romanian, it must be based on the idea that it respects, first of all, the Romanian consumer. Some places in the Old Center of the capital seem to have forgotten this detail. Hygiene, cleanliness and respect current rules seem optional for some business entities in the region, which has perhaps the greatest social impact. Complaining that your business is not doing well is not an excuse to abuse consumers. If instead you choose to continue collecting money for them, then the package should also be respectful. It seems that our strong messages need subtitles to be understood properly,” said Horia Constantinescu, president of the National Consumer Protection Authority.

Business entities that have been sanctioned for temporary suspension of services are:

1. GMC Pub SRL – food block

2. Tephra Resto SRL (district) – food block

3. Business Entertainment SRL – food block

4. Arkay Capital SRL (Old Habits Pub)

5. Lounge Partners – (Bound Club&Bar)

6. MLS Investments Trading (Chopstix)

7. M&S Top Media Beta Srl (Il Peccato)

8. Emira LC S.&CO SRL (Bistro Les Bourgeois)

9. Lebanese Expert Sweets SRL

10. Black Spirit SRL,

11. Thelos Lux SRL (Xclusive Pub) (Lipscani, 36)

12. Data Expert Account SRL

13. Corbu Project Impex SRL

14. Thelos Lux SRL (Xclusive Pub) (Stavropoleos No. 8)

15. Waffle Expert SRL – preparation room

16. Smarald Company SRL – 2 coffee machines

17. Covaci Cult SRL (Bazaar)

18. Legalize Petrana Com SRL

19. DB.RB.Impex SRL (Bubble Tea)

20. Aylin Media SRL (Sarai)

21. Thelos Lux SRL (Xclusive Pub) (Calea Victoriei 12C)

22. Mon Service International SRL, Chinese restaurant

23. Avanti Victoria SRL.

Some of these business entities eliminated the identified deficiencies and resumed their activities.

The main deviations detected by the control groups were:

– sale of expired food products;

– sale of textile products without information on the fiber composition translated into Romanian, on the labels

– sale of cosmetic products without information about the name and address of the importer;

– marketing of some cosmetic products without information on special precautions, their names and functions, translated into Romanian, on the labels

– use of cosmetic products without specifying the date of opening the bottle

– non-display of prices for some goods on shares

– marketing of products without elements of identification and characteristics

– the use of refrigerating units with dirty, non-disinfected parts, with food residues, with peeling paint and rust stains.

– use of non-disinfected ovens

– use of unprofessional kitchen utensils.