Belgium's Federal Public Service (FPS) Economy has revealed widespread irregularities in the furniture retail sector following an extensive investigation in 2024. After receiving over 1,300 reports between 2020 and 2023, the economic inspectorate scrutinised 155 furniture and bedding stores between 1 April and 6 December.
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According to a press release issued Monday, violations were found in over 80% of inspected businesses. A total of 537 infractions were identified across 128 companies, representing 82.6% of those reviewed.
The most common breaches involved "purchase orders" (36.9%), "price information" (21.6%), and a lack of "transparency on websites and social media" (14.7%). Additional issues were found relating to "price reduction announcements" (9.9%) and "electronic payment methods" (9.3%).
The FPS Economy also uncovered failures in corporate registration and financial compliance. Specifically, 28 businesses were either not properly registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises or had outdated information. Thirteen firms exceeded the legal cash payment limit of €3,000.
FPS spokesperson Etienne Mignolet reported that "155 warnings were issued and 19 official reports were drawn up" in response to the findings. He added that reports were only filed in cases of multiple or unresolved infractions, noting that most companies agreed to corrective action, which was later verified in follow-up inspections.
The 19 reports represent just 12.3% of the inspected businesses, indicating that while violations were frequent, many were resolved without further legal consequences. The investigation highlights systemic issues in consumer transparency and regulatory adherence within the sector.
Source: www.msn.com