rec_53

(53) However, in the absence of an explicit provision, the enforcement experience has shown that it might be unclear to consumers, traders and national competent authorities which commercial practices could be contrary to Directive 2005/29/EC. Therefore, that Directive should be amended to ensure legal certainty for both traders and enforcement authorities by addressing explicitly the marketing of a good as being identical to a good marketed in other Member States, where that good has significantly different composition or characteristics. Competent authorities should assess and address on a case- by-case basis such practices in accordance with Directive 2005/29/EC, as amended by this Directive. In undertaking its assessment the competent authority should take into account whether such differentiation is easily identifiable by consumers, a trader’s right to adapt goods of the same brand for different geographical markets due to legitimate and objective factors, such as national law, availability or seasonality of raw materials or voluntary strategies to improve access to healthy and nutritious food as well as the traders’ right to offer goods of the same brand in packages of different weight or volume in different geographical markets. The competent authorities should assess whether such differentiation is easily identifiable by consumers by looking at the availability and adequacy of information. It is important that consumers are informed about the differentiation of goods due to legitimate and objective factors. Traders should be free to provide such information in different ways that allow consumers to access the necessary information. Alternatives to providing information on the label of goods should generally be preferred by traders. The relevant Union sectorial rules and rules on free movement of goods should be respected.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-25 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.