The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has imposed financial penalties with a total value exceeding PLN 70 million on the retail chains Biedronka and Kaufland. The reason is detected irregularities in labeling the origin and quality of certain food products, which could mislead customers. The decision by the President of UOKiK concludes proceedings initiated after extensive inspections. According to the office, after the entrepreneurs were obligated to remove the irregularities, the number of errors in stores has significantly decreased.

Total fine exceeds PLN 70 million

UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny imposed fines of PLN 63 million on the Biedronka chain and PLN 7.8 million on the Kaufland chain. These decisions are final and binding after the rulings of the administrative court, which dismissed the complaints of both entrepreneurs, became final.

Errors in labeling product origin

The basis for imposing the fines were irregularities in product labeling, mainly fruits and vegetables. They concerned incorrect declaration of the country of origin or misleading consumer messages, such as labels "Country of origin: Poland" for goods imported from other countries.

Inspections and improvement of the situation

The fines are the result of inspections conducted by the Trade Inspection on behalf of UOKiK. According to the latest data, after the office's intervention and the obligation for the chains to correct labeling, the percentage of irregularities dropped from about 30-40 percent at the beginning of inspections to just 2-5 percent in their final phase.

Reaction from stores and consumers

The Kaufland chain emphasizes that it has complied with UOKiK recommendations and implemented corrections. Biedronka maintains its position of having no intention to mislead. Consumers who feel cheated can pursue their claims directly from the stores.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has imposed severe financial penalties on two of Poland's largest retail chains. Biedronka must pay 63 million zloty, and Kaufland – 7.8 million zloty for irregularities in the labeling of food products. The decisions by the President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny, became final after an administrative court dismissed the complaints of both entrepreneurs. The proceedings followed extensive inspections that revealed recurring errors, which could mislead customers about the origin of goods.

The labeling of product origin, especially for food, is regulated by both EU and national laws, including the Act on the Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products. Their goal is to provide consumers with transparent and reliable information, which is particularly important in the context of supporting local producers and making informed purchasing choices.

The Trade Inspection, acting on behalf of UOKiK, inspected thousands of stores in 2023-2024. The irregularities mainly concerned fresh fruits and vegetables. A common error was placing information "Country of origin: Poland" on packaging or shelves for imported products, e.g., from Spain, Morocco, or Egypt. In other cases, the mandatory information about the country of origin was omitted altogether. The President of UOKiK emphasized that such practices violated the collective interests of consumers.

„Sieć musi ponieść odpowiedzialność za naruszenia. Klienci mają prawo do rzetelnej informacji, zwłaszcza gdy za produkt z Polski są skłonni zapłacić więcej.” (The chain must bear responsibility for violations. Customers have the right to reliable information, especially when they are willing to pay more for a product from Poland.) — Tomasz Chróstny

After administrative proceedings were initiated, both chains were obligated to immediately remove the irregularities. UOKiK data indicates that the corrective actions yielded tangible results. While at the beginning of the inspections, irregularities in labeling affected even 30-40 percent of the checked products, in the final phase of inspections, this percentage dropped to a level of 2-5 percent. 70.8 mln zł — The total amount of imposed fines Therefore, the Office treats the fines not only as a punitive measure but also as an instrument effectively forcing an improvement in standards.

Inspection Results of Labeling Before and After UOKiK Intervention: Percentage of incorrect labeling: 30-40% → 2-5%; Fine amount for Biedronka: 0 zł → 63 mln zł; Fine amount for Kaufland: 0 zł → 7.8 mln zł

Representatives of the fined chains responded to the decision. Kaufland stated in its announcement that it has adjusted its labeling to meet legal requirements and operates fully in accordance with UOKiK guidelines. Biedronka, responding to media inquiries, maintained its earlier position that it had no intention of misleading consumers, and any shortcomings resulted from procedural errors that have been corrected.

Mentioned People

  • Tomasz Chróstny — President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, who signed the decisions to impose the fines.