New regulations may increase prices of electronics in Poland

The proposed regulations, which the government plans to adopt in the first quarter of 2021, will not only increase the prices of electronics in Poland but also worsen the competitiveness of Polish distributors against foreign markets, especially in Asia, assesses the Digital Poland Association (DP). In the opinion of the Association, the trend of accelerated digitization, initiated in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, will also continue this year in Poland.

"The specificity of trading in electrical and electronic equipment is its low margin. Consumers buying equipment are primarily guided by the price. At the level of distribution, net margins are around 1 percent. If someone is forced to add even 0.5 percent of the fee, he is already losing the competition with those who do not add such a note, which is why they usually fall out of the market," Michał Kanownik,  the president of DP, said.

According to him, the coming months may be decisive for the future of the Polish electronics distribution sector. Despite the fact that the pandemic has caused an increased interest in electronics, the development of domestic distributors of these devices may be blocked by the regulation prepared by the Ministry of Culture regarding the extension of the reprographic fee.

According to the proposed solutions, the reprographic fee would be imposed on other electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or smart TVs, even up to 6 percent of their price. The money would be partially transferred to a special fund from which artists' pensions are to be financed. A similar project. The Civic Coalition submitted to the Sejm at the end of 2020.

(ISBnews)