Dimitris Tsiodras has submitted a question to the European Commission, urging it to take action against deceptive practices increasingly observed across EU countries, where product quantities are reduced while prices remain unchanged or even increase.

Specifically, he asks the Commission what steps it will take to strengthen the EU’s legislative framework to ensure transparency and proper consumer information regarding such changes in product quantity and characteristics.

The MEP stresses that in recent years, practices involving reductions in product quantity, size, or composition have been on the rise, while prices remain stable or rise.

He highlights that, according to a pan-European Commission survey:

• 74% of EU consumers said that the quantity or size of a packaged product was reduced while the price stayed the same or increased.
• 52% of respondents stated that the ingredients and quality of packaged products declined, while prices still remained the same or rose.

This practice is often used by companies to cope with rising production costs without directly increasing retail prices. However, Tsiodras notes that the current legal framework – such as the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, the Food Information to Consumers Regulation, and the Consumer Rights Directive – is not sufficient to tackle the problem.

He concludes by stressing the need for the Commission to support national authorities in detecting and addressing such practices.