Civic Platform says new law on retail competition is unconstitutional

In an effort to strengthen smaller retailers, the Sejm will soon pass a law forbidding supermarkets from selling products without margins sufficient to cover costs and from running lotteries with valuable prizes in order to increase sales. An amendment, which is a part of government plans of supporting small and medium enterprises, is expected to limit supermarkets' unfair retail practices. The proposal has been broadly accepted, not only among coalition parties, but also by the Polish Family League (LPR) which had long criticized the superior position of large shops. Civic Platform (PO) deputies indicated that such a law would break the constitutional principle of equality before the law. The amendment will be discussed in a Sejm commission. (Zycie, p. 3) M.K.