Price display regulations 2025

Price display is a fundamental element of business transparency. In 2025, new regulations are likely to come into force, bringing significant changes for retailers and consumers. This article aims to decipher the ins and outs of this potential regulation, exploring the objectives, implications and preparatory measures that businesses should consider.

Understanding the context of price display regulations

Price display is not a new concept. For decades, regulations have aimed to protect consumers by providing them with clear and accurate information on the prices of goods and services. However, the constant evolution of the commercial landscape, particularly with the rise of online commerce and new marketing practices, requires regular adaptation of the rules in force. The 2025 regulations are part of this logic of adaptation and modernization.

The main objectives of this new regulation are multiple:

• Strengthening transparency: Ensure that consumers have complete and easy-to-understand information on prices, including taxes, additional charges and conditions of sale.
• Combating deceptive practices: Prevent merchants from using pricing techniques that could mislead consumers, such as deceptive promotions or artificially inflated prices.
• Harmonize practices: Standardize price display rules across different business sectors and sales channels (online and offline) to facilitate comparison and understanding.
• Encourage competition: Promote fair competition between traders by ensuring that prices are displayed in a comparable and transparent manner.

This regulation is also part of a broader context of consumer protection and the promotion of a fairer and more equitable economy.

The main expected regulatory developments in 2025

Although the precise details of the 2025 regulations are not yet all known, certain trends are emerging and allow us to anticipate the main future developments.

1. Clarification of online display obligations

Online commerce is constantly growing, and it is essential that price display rules are adapted to this sales channel. The 2025 regulations should strengthen the obligations of online traders, particularly in terms of:

• Displaying total price: The price displayed must include all taxes and additional charges (delivery costs, handling fees, etc.) in a clear and visible manner from the first step of the purchasing process.
• Information on payment terms: The payment terms accepted and any associated fees must be clearly indicated.
• Transparency on promotions: The conditions for applying promotions (duration, products concerned, etc.) must be clearly specified.
• Seller Identification: The identity of the seller (name, address, contact details) must be easily accessible.

These measures aim to avoid unpleasant surprises for consumers when finalizing their online purchase.

2. Strengthening the fight against misleading promotions

Promotions are a powerful marketing tool, but they can also be abused to attract consumers. The 2025 regulations are expected to strengthen the rules on promotions, including by:

• Defining stricter criteria for promotions: Promotions must be real and meaningful, and not based on artificially inflated reference prices.
• Imposing transparency on the duration of promotions: The duration of promotions should be clearly stated, and promotional prices should not be maintained indefinitely.
• Prohibiting “limited” promotions without specific indication: If a promotion is limited in quantity, the number of products available at that price must be clearly indicated.

The aim is to ensure that promotions are genuinely beneficial to consumers and are not used to mislead them.

3. Adaptation to new business practices

The commercial landscape is constantly evolving, with the emergence of new practices such as subscriptions, rental services, flash sales, etc. The 2025 regulations will have to adapt to these new practices by defining clear rules for the display of prices in these contexts.

For example, for subscriptions, regulations could require the display of the total price of the subscription over a given period (e.g., per month or per year), as well as the conditions for renewal and termination. For rental services, regulations could require the display of the price per day, per week or per month, as well as any additional fees (deposit, insurance, etc.).

4. (Potential) European harmonization

The 2025 regulation may be part of a European harmonisation movement, aimed at standardising price display rules across the European Union. This harmonisation would facilitate cross-border trade and would make it possible to protect European consumers more effectively.

Although it is still too early to say with certainty that this harmonization will take place, it is a possibility that should be considered.

Preparing your business for the new regulations

Anticipating changes in price display regulations is essential for any business, regardless of its sector of activity and size. Here are some preparatory measures that businesses should consider:

1. Stay informed

The first step is to keep up to date with regulatory developments. It is important to follow legal and regulatory news, consult the websites of the competent authorities and subscribe to specialized newsletters.

2. Audit your current practices

Once you have a good understanding of the expected changes, it is important to audit your current practices in terms of price display. This allows you to identify points of compliance and non-compliance, and to define the corrective actions to be implemented.

3. Update your systems and procedures

Depending on the results of the audit, it may be necessary to update its systems and procedures for displaying prices. This may involve changing price tags, reviewing terms and conditions of sale, updating IT systems, etc.

4. Train your staff

Training your staff on the new pricing rules is essential. Staff must be able to apply the rules correctly and answer customer questions. Training can take the form of in-person training sessions, online training modules, or how-to guides.

5. Consult an expert

If you have any doubts or questions about the regulations, it is advisable to consult a legal expert or a specialized consultant. An expert can help interpret the regulations, identify risks and implement appropriate solutions.

In summary, preparing for the new price display regulations requires a proactive and methodical approach. By staying informed, auditing practices, updating systems and training staff, businesses can comply with the new rules and avoid penalties.

Conclusion

The 2025 Price Display Regulations represent a major challenge for retailers and consumers. They aim to increase transparency, combat misleading practices and adapt the rules to new business practices. Businesses must actively prepare for these developments by staying informed, auditing their practices and updating their systems. By anticipating these changes, they can not only comply with the new rules, but also improve their brand image and build customer trust.

Displaying prices is not only a legal obligation, it is also an essential element of the relationship of trust between traders and consumers. Clear, precise and transparent display is a guarantee of seriousness and professionalism, which can help build customer loyalty and develop business.