On Shadow Day, students visited the Consumer Rights Protection Centre (CRPC), where they not only learned about the field of consumer protection and the work of CRPC, but also took part in a practical task—visiting stores to check whether all products included in the low‑price basket were actually available.
This task allowed students to see in practice that not only the price of products is important, but also their availability. If a product is included in the low‑price basket, consumers have a legitimate expectation that it will be available for purchase in stores. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention not only to price comparisons, but also to whether low‑price basket products can actually be found on store shelves.
In addition, students assessed how easy it was to notice and locate low‑price basket products in stores—whether there were clear signs, whether the low‑price basket was easy to recognise, and whether these products could be found without special effort.
After visiting the stores, students concluded that overall, low‑price basket products were easy to find and that upon entering the store it was generally clear which products belonged to the low‑price basket. At the same time, students observed that in one retail chain, price labels for low‑price basket products were more often missing, making the products harder to identify. Students also noted that low‑price basket products were frequently placed on the lowest shelves, which can make them more difficult to reach and access, especially for older consumers.
During the discussion, students were also asked what other types of low‑price baskets could be introduced. As an idea, they suggested a low‑price basket for families with young children, offering essential baby and toddler products at lower prices.
CRPC reminds that the low‑price basket is an initiative aimed at helping residents more easily navigate food price levels and ensure access to basic food products at the lowest possible prices. This is important both for consumers—who can compare prices and plan their expenses—and for retailers, who commit to ensuring product availability and clear price information.
CRPC calls on retailers to approach participation in the low‑price basket initiative responsibly, as consumers rely on the availability of the listed products and on clearly displayed prices. Consumers, in turn, are encouraged to report cases where low‑price basket products are not available in stores, are difficult to identify, or where the price does not correspond to the indicated one.