The rules of retail trade will change in Russia from September 1

On September 1, 2026, Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 657 comes into force, changing the rules of retail trade, including for online purchases and marketplaces. Oleg Pavlov, chairman of the Public Consumer Initiative, told Izvestia about this.

According to the expert, in the fall, appeals through marketplace chats can be equated to a pre—trial claim, provided that the order number, buyer's details, and payment details are specified (if a refund is needed). and the essence of the requirement.

"In order for a chat message to be considered a claim and not a review, it must contain the order number, full name, address, phone number, e-mail of the applicant, if necessary, details for a refund, as well as the essence of the requirement: replacement, refund or price reduction. Only then do the established deadlines begin to flow — for example, 10 days for a refund," Pavlov emphasized.

Another innovation is the obligation of retail outlets, including bars and restaurants, to provide age verification via the Maks messenger using a QR code from Gosuslug. At the same time, a paper passport remains a valid option.

The list of goods without replacement stock for the duration of repairs is also expanding: it will include equipment for engineering systems that meets two criteria.: it is intended for maintenance of building systems (heating, plumbing, etc.) and requires installation or dismantling. Such equipment includes, for example, a gas boiler.

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To return a technically complex product purchased remotely, you will need to keep the presentation (packaging, completeness, documents).

"The loss of the factory box, protective inserts or instructions gives the seller the right to refuse to accept the goods," Pavlov stressed.

For jewelry purchased online, the safety of the UIN on the tag and its compliance with the marking on the product is mandatory.

"The seller must verify the UIN on the tag with the micro-label on the product itself. Any discrepancy, absence of a tag or damage to the marking makes it impossible to return," the expert said.

In the absence of a paper receipt, other proof of purchase will be suitable: an electronic receipt, a bank statement, data from the marketplace's personal account, a warranty card or a data sheet.

"If there is no mandatory information on the product card or in the seller's personal account — for legal entities, this is the name, OGRN, address, contacts; for individual entrepreneurs, full name, OGRNIP, contacts — this is a violation of the requirements of resolution No. 657 by the owner of the aggregator," Oleg Pavlov noted.

The consumer can request the missing data from the support service. If the request is ignored, the aggregator owner faces claims from Rospotrebnadzor.

Earlier, the State Duma adopted in the second reading a bill on the administrative responsibility of marketplace operators for violating requirements when working with sellers and order pick-up points. The new rules are designed to protect entrepreneurs from unjustified blocking of cards, downgrade and forced reduction of the cost of goods.