The Price Information Act

When is the Price Information Act applicable?

• The Price Information Act applies when a commercial enterprise sells goods and services to consumers.

When is the Price Information Act not applicable?

• The statute does not apply to goods and services sold at an auction.

• When there is another statute that contains provisions on price information, that law takes precedence over the Price Information Act.

• When a private person sells something to another private person.

Price information in shops

When you see a product in a shop, the price of the product must be displayed on the packaging, on the edge of the shelf, or in a price list. If the product is not marked with the price, there should be a price enquiry terminal where you can easily check the price.

The price of the goods must be stated in writing. VAT and other governmental taxes and fees must be included in the stated price. If there additional charges or costs, this must be clearly stated.

In some circumstances, it may be sufficient to state the price verbally. This may be the case in small shops with traditional behind the counter service or if you buy a product directly from the salesperson over a counter.

Price information on the Internet

There are no specific rules on how prices are to be displayed online. That does not mean however that there are no rules; in fact the general rules apply, so when goods and services are sold online the price must be clearly presented in an easy to understand manner, similar to the requirements imposed on brick-and-mortar shops.

How the unit price is to be indicated

The comparison price (unit price) for products of different volumes must be stated, when this is appropriate. The comparison price unit price should be stated in the measure used for the products, such as kilograms, litres, metres or other measurement. If a unit price is not relevant for the product, the product does not need to have a unit price.

For products sold in bulk, such as fruit and vegetables, only the unit price needs to be indicated. It must be possible however to ascertain the total cost of the item before payment.

Price information for services

For some services, such as certain work done by tradesmen, it may be difficult to get a final total price before you purchase the service. The company or tradesman providing the service should be able to explain how the price will be finally established. Information on pricing should also be available where the company has its offices plus where it markets its services.

A price quote given by a business to a consumer (B2C) must always include VAT, unless it is clearly stated otherwise.

How previous price can be indicated in the event of a reduction in price/promotion discount

If a company indicates that it has reduced the price of a product, it must also indicate the previous price. The previous price to be indicated is the lowest price the company has charged for the product in the 30 days prior to the price reduction. If the price has been gradually reduced over the 30 days, the price before the first price reduction should be indicated. If the price has been reduced for items that are perishable, or who sell by date is near, the previous price does not need to be stated.

The Swedish Consumer Agency regulations relating to price information

The Swedish Consumer Agency’s regulations relating to price information clarify and supplement the provisions of the Price Information Act.

Download the Regulations in the Swedish Consumer Agency’s publication shop (In Swedish)

If the company disregards the rules, submit a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency

If you think that a company is breaking the rules in the law, you can call attention to this by filing a complaint with the Swedish Consumer Agency. The Swedish Consumer Agency checks that companies comply with the rules in the law, and reports are an important input for the agency’s work. However, a report does not mean that your individual case will be assessed and decided.

File a complaint on the Swedish Consumer Agency’s website

Full text of the statute

Read the full text of the Price Information Act on the website of the Swedish Parliament (In Swedish)