Trust the proven: products on marketplaces will be more actively checked
The number of products checked by Rosaccreditation on marketplaces will grow to 200 million, said Dmitry Volvach, head of the service, at a meeting with Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. The control of goods on online platforms began in 2021. There are links to the registry in the cards of 31 million products. Izvestia investigated why it is necessary to strengthen inspections of marketplaces and whether stricter controls can affect the cost of goods.
Growing influence
To date, the share of online sales already accounts for 15% of the total retail trade, the press service of the Ministry of Energy told Izvestia. And every year, the contribution of digital platforms to the growth of online shopping is only increasing. These trends determine the government's attention to creating a secure digital environment for all participants, primarily for consumers.
"Thus, the law on Certain Issues of Regulating the Platform Economy establishes the obligation of platforms to check product cards that are subject to mandatory conformity assessment and prevent the publication of such cards without the seller posting a link to a certificate of conformity, declaration of conformity or certificate of state registration," the agency recalled.
This requirement, along with other conditions for the publication of product cards, will improve the safety of goods for citizens shopping through digital platforms, according to the Ministry of Economic Development.
In 2023, the number of counterfeit goods increased dramatically, sometimes significantly, Igor Kachalov, a professor at the IBDA Presidential Academy, told Izvestia. There were fakes of well-known brands, as well as simply unbranded goods with fake certificates of quality and conformity. And if fakes of technology are a disappointment from quick breakdowns and poor performance, then fake cosmetics and dietary supplements are already a threat to health.
— Almost 70% of customers have encountered fakes in online stores. And these are tens of millions of people. This prevalence of fakes is due to the high degree of anonymity of sellers in online stores," he noted. — If we can complain about the quality of the goods in a regular store directly to the store administrator and call the police, then the PVZ operator has nothing to do with the sent goods in fact and legally. Therefore, stricter control over each product in online sales is being introduced.
This, in his opinion, is a reasonable solution to protect tens of millions of Russian citizens from fakes. This will not affect the cost of normal goods much. But the share of cheap fakes will cut off a significant one.
Changing the format
Platformization has greatly reduced the distance between the buyer and the seller, creating new algorithms for interaction, Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation, noted in an interview with Izvestia. At the same time, it is important that this interaction be as transparent as possible.
— Certification of goods is a certain quality guarantee, which means it is an element of increasing the competitiveness of goods. At the same time, Rosaccreditation certification is legally required for a number of goods and services. But many manufacturers, who are not required to do this by law, register it voluntarily. For buyers, the certificate is a confirmation that the product meets the stated qualities and safety, and, accordingly, the demand for products with such a mark may be higher," he noted.
As for the cost, in his opinion, most likely, the effect of increased control will be extremely insignificant and only in cases where mandatory certification is not provided, but the seller decided to issue a voluntary certificate to increase the competitiveness of their product in the market.
The right to protection
The law on Consumer Rights Protection implies that the consumer does not necessarily have to have special knowledge in the field of purchased goods, that is, he does not have to be a qualified buyer, Olga Pozdnyakova, head of the People's Front, reminded Izvestia. Analytics". All consumers have the right to receive high-quality goods and services, and the seller is responsible for providing complete and reliable information about the product, ensuring the safety of its use, and eliminating deficiencies.
At the same time, marketplaces, in her opinion, offer a completely different scheme of buyer–seller relations. This new system requires a different approach to product quality control and compliance with its stated characteristics. Marketplaces themselves do not always have time to check the quality of all the products presented on them by all sellers. Digitalization and uniform mandatory requirements make these processes more transparent and faster.
— Previously, there were concerns that the introduction of labeling for different categories of goods would lead to an increase in cost, but in the end, prices are more influenced by other factors. The same situation is possible here. Moreover, it concerns goods that, according to the law, must be certified or receive a declaration of conformity. The current pilot project on placing links to the register of certificates or declarations of conformity shows that, in general, such information is in demand among buyers," the expert emphasized.
Starting from September 1, 2026, product cards on marketplaces must contain either a link to the register of certificates and declarations, or information that the product is not subject to mandatory conformity assessment, she said. This does not apply to used goods.
By the end of 2024, e-commerce in Russia grew by 37%, and 50% of non-food products (except cars and fuel) went online, Pyotr Shcherbachenko, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, added in an interview with Izvestia. This makes sales control especially important. Even in large networks, you can encounter counterfeit or counterfeit goods.
"Inspections will help identify non—certified and dangerous products, including household goods, clothing, cosmetics, food, low—voltage equipment and goods for children, which are critical for consumer safety," he confirmed.
The problem of counterfeit products has always existed, but with the departure of official representatives of a number of brands from Russia, the situation with fakes has worsened, Anastasia Melnikova, senior lecturer at the Department of Entrepreneurship and Logistics at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, told Izvestia. The initiative to strengthen control will protect sellers from unfair competition. Although, of course, in her opinion, checking the goods for compliance is an additional cost for sellers, which can lead to higher prices. On the other hand, reduced competition will have a positive effect on sales volumes and may reduce marketing costs. Thus, the impact of the verification on the price will be individual for a particular seller.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
