COMPETITION COUNCIL REMOVED ONLINE STORE‘S RESTRICTIONS ON PRODUCT SHIPPING TO LITHUANIA

The Competition Council brings real benefits to consumers – after the authority intervened, the Austrian online store www.ecco-verde.com restored the shipping of cosmetic products to Lithuania.

The Competition Council received a customer‘s complaint stating that although no shipping restrictions existed before, the aforementioned online store ceased shipping certain cosmetic products to Lithuania. Since the EU competition authorities contribute to the development of the digital single market – the European Commission‘s strategic goal – the Competition Council addressed the online store asking to explain the restrictions set to the shipping of certain products to Lithuania. Having received such inquiry, the store eliminated these restrictions.

Online trading is beneficial – it enables consumers to purchase products from online stores based in other countries, offers a wider choice of products and strengthens competition in terms of product prices and quality. Hence, we aim to ensure that there are no buying restrictions and consumers can enjoy the benefits brought by competition. Our work also contributes to the development of the European Union‘s digital single market

                                     –Šarūnas Keserauskas, Chairman of the Competition Council

The Competition Council is the only state institution in Lithuania which uses OECD methodology in assessing the benefits that the authority brings to consumers. In 2015 one euro invested in the Competition Council brought nine euros in return.