The Czech Republic has joined the initiative supported by Hungary and Slovakia calling on the European Commission to adopt a law banning food and beverages companies from selling products of different content and quality under the same label and brand.

According to the official representatives of the three countries, multinational companies sell lower-quality goods in Eastern Europe than they do in Western Europe.

"Where some products are concerned, we have literally turned into Europe's garbage can," stated to Reuters Czech Agriculture Minister Marian Jurečka.

Organisations for the protection of the rights of consumers complain that large companies sell in Czech shops products of much lower quality than they do in Germany. The law, however, protects the producer because such sales are allowed if the packaging clearly describes the ingredients of the product. But buyers have no way of comparing the ingredients described on the packaging with the label of the same product in a Western country and few buyers can actually make the distinction.

Jurečka added that he has ordered an inspection of the quality of foods which must be completed by June.
The data, together with data from Slovakia and other countries, will be used in lobbying for amendments to EU laws.
The list will include not merely foods and beverages but household goods as well, for example, washing powder.

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