• The Trade Inspection investigated 112 entrepreneurs selling electrical and electronic equipment.
• All these entities declared that they accept old devices free of charge in accordance with the regulations.
• However, every fourth of them had a problem with providing correct information or with product labelling.

Used or broken electrical and electronic equipment, e.g. hair dryers or tablets, cannot be put with normal household rubbish. You can deposit it at various shops. When buying a new electrical item, retailers are obliged to take back the old item you are replacing free of charge. For example, if you buy a new iron in a store, you can deposit a broken one there; if you order a TV with home-delivery service, you may on this occasion report you want to get rid of the old one, and the retailer is obliged to arrange its collection. In addition, stores that are at least 400 m² in area and sell home appliances must accept all used items if none of their dimensions is bigger than 25 cm.

In the first quarter of 2019, the Trade Inspection checked how entrepreneurs fulfil these obligations. It controlled 112 entrepreneurs selling electrical and electronic equipment. Each of them declared that they take back old devices free of charge in accordance with the regulations. This does not mean that no irregularities took place. Inspectors had reservations about up to 26% of entrepreneurs that were subject to the investigation. Most of them did not put legally required information about where and under what conditions consumers can return old equipment free of charge.

During the investigation, inspectors examined 756 batches of new electrical and electronic devices. They checked whether the products were marked with a symbol of selective collection (no irregularities were occurred in this matter) and whether information that used equipment cannot be put with normal household rubbish and about the effects that hazardous substances in such devices may have on human health and the environment was provided. The Trade Inspection also controlled whether the products were marketed by authorized companies. Overall, it questioned 5.8% of batches due to their incorrect labelling.

The Trade Inspection’s investigation ended with 22 administrative decisions imposing fines on entrepreneurs amounting in total to PLN 117,000.

Consumer service:

Phone: 801 440 220 or 22 290 89 16 – consumer helpline
E-mail: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Consumers’ ombudsmen – in your town or district
Regional Consumer Centres: 22 299 60 90 – Dlakonsumenta.pl
Provincial Inspectorates od the Trade Inspection

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL