Trading rules clearly distinguish between the sale of different types of goods. What is the difference between food and non-food? What rules do you need to follow to trade a particular type of product? All these questions will be answered in the article.
General rules
Today, the sale of goods is the most popular line of business. But here there are accompanying difficulties, for example, the rules of trade for each type of goods are different. They are adopted by the government of our country at the legislative level, and every seller must know them.
Thus, the rules of trade in food products establish the requirements for the preparatory process before trade.
Retail Requirements
The rules for food trade put forward the following requirements for entrepreneurs:
- Retail outlets should have an address, a legal form, a name, a sign that indicates the type of activity and mode of operation.
- The need to prepare for sales. This means that before starting trade, all goods must be put on the counter. It is necessary to sort the products by department, type or type, as well as observe the storage mode. The rules for the sale of food products provide for the mandatory presence of price tags, as well as a brief description of the product.
- Staff. Each employee dealing with groceries must have a medical book, uniforms, a hat, and they should look neat. The rules for the sale of food products oblige each employee to have a plate on their clothes that says the name and surname of the employee, position and name of the organization.
- The goods also have their own requirements, or rather, the price, shelf life, sales order, etc. are regulated.
- Requirements that are aimed at observing consumer rights. This includes scales, a complaints book, a cash register and a consumer corner.
Rules for the shopping pavilion
Let us consider in more detail the norms for each trading establishment. The pavilion should have a readable sign. On it, any consumer should read information about the organization that provides the services.
If we consider the internal organization, the store management is obliged to do everything to make the buyer comfortable. This means that the departments or places where the goods are located must be indicated. In addition, free access to post information about the store employees. If some services are provided in the pavilion, then the price list should be prominently displayed.
In the consumer corner, the rules of trade and contact details of the company that regulates the activities of the store should be indicated.
For example, in the case of the sale of raw meat in a store, information on how meat is cut and how it is divided by type must be publicly available.
Making food price tags
General and sanitary rules of trade oblige entrepreneurs to draw up price tags as follows:
- If the products are packaged in a store, then there should be an insert on it that shows the name of the product, weight and price. The same requirement applies to packaging.
- The price tag should contain the details of the organization (they should be easy to read), certified by the signature of the employee and the seal of the organization. It is important to remember that the signature must be of the employee who is responsible.
- Each store should have scales. They should work and have marks that have passed the inspection of a particular authority.
- If the product has any deficiency or defect, then according to the sanitary rules of the trade, it is necessary to inform the buyer about it with an inscription on the price tag or a sign. In addition, the buyer must also be notified verbally.
Sanitary requirements
Rospotrebnadzor oversees how all the requirements are met. Sanitary standards apply not only to the storeroom, but also to storage facilities, wholesale and retail bases and more.
Repair or construction of the premises must be carried out in accordance with the norms of SanPiN. To bring an object into use, it is necessary to coordinate this with Rospotrebnadzor.
So, it is forbidden:
- Place fish shops with an area of more than a thousand squares in residential buildings or on the basement, second floor.
- You can not load or unload goods near the entrances or windows of houses. This can only be done from the end of the apartment building. There should be no windows on the front side. It is allowed to carry out loading or unloading operations from the side of the road only if the store has special facilities for this.
- You can not load or unload, as well as the delivery of goods at night. This applies to those stores that are located in residential buildings. If tenants write complaints, then an inspection will be conducted.
Responsibility for Violations
If the rules of trade in the store are violated, then organizations will write fines. They range from five minimum wages without an upper threshold.
When violations are multiple or permanent, Rospotrebnadzor has the right to suspend the store for ninety days or even close the outlet.
Land regulations
If a store is being rebuilt from scratch, then even at the time of choosing a land plot it is necessary to be guided by the rules of food trade.
What to look at? The place chosen for the store should not be in a swampy area, nor should there be garbage dumps nearby. In addition, it is important that there are no animal processing or breeding facilities nearby.
The grocery store must be equipped with an internal sewage system. Moreover, if it is located in a residential building, the sewage system must be removed separately. This is due to the fact that stores give a large load on the drainage system.
Additional requirements
The rules for trading on the market and in the store are not very different. For example, ventilation is mandatory for stores. The latter should be autonomous.
As for lighting devices, their operation must comply with SanPiN standards. For example, the glazing of electrical appliances should be regularly cleaned.
It is also worth paying attention to the standards that are established for commercial equipment. For example, refrigerators should not only fit into the layout of the room, but also comply with all standards. They must be clean and well ventilated. Each refrigeration unit should have a thermometer showing the temperature.
Cutting boards should be made of hardwood, there should be no cracks on them. Used tools (boards, knives) should be regularly treated with a special solution.
In trading floors, the temperature should be comfortable for customers. In winter, the rooms should be heated.
The rules for the sale of products also regulate the arrangement of rooms for staff. Employees should have their own sanitary room where they can wash their hands, have a bite and change clothes.
If the store sells a specific product, then it is necessary to have a warehouse with ventilation, the correct temperature conditions and artificial lighting.
The floors in the trading floor should be made of moisture-resistant and durable materials.
Where to sell non-food items
And what about the rules for the wholesale of non-food goods?
With such products it is much simpler, fewer requirements are established by the rules, but nevertheless they are. So, such products can be sold:
- Separate outlets.
- Representatives of enterprises.
- Supermarkets and departments in them.
- Exhibitions and fairs.
- Small entrepreneurs who have permission.
- Retail organizations.
Conditions for the sale of non-food items
Despite the more than loyal rules of trade in organizations, there are still requirements that must be met:
Accept non-food items for sale in suitable conditions. In this case, the procedure must fully comply with legal standards.
An employee of the store, which carries out the reception, is obliged to check all the documentation with the supplier, and also during the familiarization with the documentation to establish whether the product meets the quality standards.
The rules of trade in the Russian Federation indicate the need to store products in such conditions that are indicated at the legislative level.
The store employee is required to monitor the safety of the goods before sale. Products must be clean and free from damage. It is also important to monitor expiration dates.
The room in which the goods are put up for sale must be equipped in accordance with sanitary and other trade standards.
If the products are stored and sold in one room, then all the rights of buyers must be respected.
What customers need to know
The rules for trade in non-food products also determine what information should be freely available to buyers. And the law also defines the information that a consumer can receive upon request.
For stores, the following rules apply:
The store should have a stand on which it is necessary to place information on the rules of trade. If there is no such place, then the rules are kept by the seller.
The consumer corner must have a complaint book. It is necessary to arrange it so that any person can freely take it. If there is no place for a book, store employees must provide it as soon as they are asked about it.
Information about the organization, about a specific outlet and about the seller should be publicly available. In addition, it is necessary to indicate the contacts of the store management, so that everyone can contact him if necessary.
If the buyer requires trade licenses or other documents, then the store employee cannot refuse him. The employee must present all papers for review.
Each store should have a board on which the telephone numbers of services governing the rules of trade in goods are indicated. In addition, there must be a copy of the law on consumer protection at this stand.
In addition to all requirements, there are also rules that apply directly to the trading floor. For example, measuring partitions are mandatory. With the help of such a device, the buyer or inspection service will be able to independently examine the quality of the product. Such tools should be stored in an easily accessible place.
Customer Information
In addition to legal information, the store must have a structure. That is, in each department there should be information plates, according to which it will be easy for customers to navigate indoors.
On products, you always need to indicate the price, if this cannot be done, then the cost should be indicated in a prominent place. In addition to the price, the name of the product, type, weight and other necessary data are indicated.
What information is provided
A product can only be sold if there is complete information about it. That is, the package or price tag should contain:
The full name of the product.
An explanation of where it can be applied, or specifications.
Information about the production of the product and the manufacturer.
Rules for using the product.
Warranty Terms.
Storage conditions. This clause only applies to products for which special requirements are provided.
Additional information, if any.
If something from the list is not on the price tag or packaging, then the buyer has every right to demand clarification from the seller or request accompanying documents for the goods. The seller must provide all the documents available for the goods, from the license to various certificates.
The sale of spoiled goods
Often in stores you can find the sale of goods from hand or products with marriage. There are also legal requirements to this effect.
So, if the product is sold defectively, and the buyer knows about it, then the store employee must provide a discount. In addition, the documents for the product must indicate the defects that are present. This will mean that the goods cannot be returned, for example, under warranty, if the problem turns out to be a known marriage.
When the product has been returned legally, sanitization must be carried out before resale. The same rule applies to the sale of commission products. In addition, the goods must be checked for quality and given the proper look for sale.
Implementation Features
The rules of trade provide all the moments to make buyers comfortable. So, for the implementation of knitwear and hats in stores and departments should be fitting rooms.
The best option for the store will be self-service. The seller can only help you choose the color or size and talk about the product.
The store employee is required to check the quality of the goods before buying and pack it. They should not take money for packaging.
If it comes to the sale of cosmetics or perfumes, then the store must provide the opportunity to test cosmetics. For example, to determine the appropriate aroma, there should be special strips near the bottles that can be sprayed on.
If a person buys closed goods, the seller must check the contents. To do this, he must remove the tape or cellophane, but first warn the buyer about this.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is not very difficult to follow the rules of trade. You just need to take them for granted and not try to get around. Unfortunately, there are few conscious entrepreneurs, but there is hope that their number will increase over time. Moreover, buyers have now become very demanding. People know their rights and do not hesitate to defend them. Largely due to mass education, entrepreneurs and sellers are trying to improve the quality of service. The better the service and the quality of the goods, the more people will return to the store again and recommend it to friends.