Second-hand shops in Belarus have been banned from selling new clothes. Such innovations are provided for by the government decree No. 774 of December 30, 2020.
The document prohibits the sale of used and new furs, footwear, garments and knitwear (except for new garments and knitted underwear) in one trade facility.
It is also prohibited to sell used goods (except for second-hand books) and new goods in one goods section.
According to the decree, used non-food products are non-food products with visible signs of wearing, washing, use. These also include non-food products of good quality with proper looks, consumer properties without product labels, if their availability is provided by the manufacturer, as well as non-food products accepted under commission agreements from citizens.
In February 2019, the director of Bellegprom or Light Industry Concern, Tatsyana Luhina, turned to the government with a request to protect the concern from imports. And in June of the same year, she proposed not only to limit imports of second-hand goods, but also to create an online store for state-owned clothing manufacturers.
In 2020, Bellegprom insisted further on regulating the activities of second-hand stores.
“To close – not to close – we have expressed and will continue to express our proposals. And we have proposed and will continue to offer some kind of regulation of such trade. Perhaps, if not the closure, then the removal from some regional cities, large cities, from central streets. We are for fair competition. When our enterprises comply with all technical regulations and requirements, we check clothes for all safety indicators, and therefore the market wants everyone to work in the same way,” explained Ms Luhina.
belsat.eu
