How Are Fake Discounts Policed in Portugal?

Fake or misleading discounts in Portugal are policed under the national rules that transpose the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161, together with the wider prohibition on unfair commercial practices. The Directive has applied across the EU since 28 May 2022, and its 30-day lowest-prior-price rule is the main tool for catching inflated “sale” claims.

Why the rule bites

Because a price reduction must be measured against the lowest price in the previous 30 days, a trader cannot quietly raise a price and then present the return to normal as a discount. A “was/now” claim that ignores a recent lower price is exactly the kind of practice the rule is designed to expose.

Who acts on it

• The Direção-Geral do Consumidor (DGC) — Portugal’s consumer directorate.
• The ASAE — the economic and food safety authority, which inspects and enforces against unfair practices.
• Enforcement is national, applying the transposed Omnibus rules to sellers reaching Portuguese consumers.

The Portuguese process operates in Portuguese, so an international seller should keep promotional wording clear and be ready to deal with any queries in the language. For the wider framework, see our Omnibus law page and the complete Omnibus guide.

This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.