This past weekend, Consumer Day went largely unrecognized in several Eastern European countries, including in Serbia, where consumer organizations issued no significant announcements.

The annual observance aims to inform the public about consumer rights, which include safety and accurate information about products, quality services, and equitable treatment from manufacturers and retailers.

In the town of Senta, the Economic and Trade School has been focusing on educating students about these issues, with pupils recently winning first place at an international regional competition in Szeged, centered on online shopping.

According to Aleksandra Arsenović, a professor at the school, students are eager to learn about their rights and responsibilities as consumers, raising awareness among their peers through involvement in such projects.

"Children must be educated in a timely manner to understand their rights and to be rational and aware consumers.

We achieve this through specialized subjects; this topic is particularly close to us, given that we are an economic school," stated Aniko Žiroš Jankelić, the school's director.

This institution has maintained a successful collaboration with the Center for Consumer Rights Protection in Senta as well as with international organizations involved in consumer advocacy.

Over the past year, consumers in the region have been significantly affected by rising prices.

This situation has prompted the Competition Protection Commission to initiate proceedings against major retail chains for potential price collusion.

The investigation is ongoing, and the timeline for a resolution remains uncertain.

Also relevant is the ongoing boycott of retail chains organized by the consumer advocacy group 'Efektiva' in response to soaring food prices, which are now reported to be among the highest in Europe.

Reports indicate that citizens are partially adhering to this boycott, signaling to retailers that consumers will no longer tolerate price increases.

On the occasion of Consumer Day, Biljana Borzan, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Consumer Protection, shared findings from recent research regarding the most common consumer complaints.

Borzan's remarks during a parliamentary debate highlighted the high prices in Eastern Europe and called for stricter oversight and harsher penalties for market offenders.

According to her research, the most frequent complaints arise from telecommunications operators (43%), followed closely by postal service providers (40%).

Additionally, a quarter of respondents reported issues with utility providers, grocery retailers, and banks.

During the European Parliament session, Borzan cautioned that true equality among EU citizens cannot be achieved while consumer rights remain ineffectively enforced along the divide between Western and Eastern Europe.

"In Western EU, sales are genuine, while here they are merely a marketing ploy; online shopping is straightforward for them, whereas delivery is unavailable in our region; moreover, their telephone call rates are reasonable, while we are burdened with excessive costs because our service providers categorize us with countries like Morocco and New Zealand," she remarked.

Borzan noted that prices have surged by 30% more in Eastern EU countries during the coronavirus pandemic, and are now multiple times higher, leading to boycotts in countries such as Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania.

"Half a kilogram of pasta costs twice as much in Croatia as in France, and toothpaste is three times as expensive in Bulgaria as in Germany.

Consumer rights must not be just a dead letter on paper; effective oversight and strict penalties are essential for change," she asserted.