Amid the Christmas shopping rush, a House leader on Wednesday reminded online retailers to put price tags on their products, stressing that the price tag mandate is a must under Republic Act 7394 or the “Consumer Act of the Philippines.”

House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan said online retailers should avoid the “PM sent” practice of divulging the prices of products to consumers only through private messages, as it violates the law.

Under the law, retailers are prohibited from offering any product for sale to the public without a price tag in pesos and centavos.

“We must stress that the law compels all retailers, under pain of penalties, to put price tags on their products for all consumers to see. This applies to all retailers, regardless whether they are selling online or in physical stores,” Libanan said.

Libanan said the law also stipulates that a product cannot be sold at a price higher than what is indicated in the price tag.

“In order to protect consumers, we would urge the Department of Trade and Industry to rigorously enforce the price tag requirement,” Libanan said.

He noted that several online retailers, including those selling through social media platforms, continue to display their products for sale without price tags.

They merely provide photos of their products along with other details, and then wait for consumers to ask for the price of the item they are interested in buying, he added.

Libanan said the Consumer Act ensures absolute pricing transparency and to safeguard the public against potential pricing abuses.

Violators of the price tag mandate can face up to six months in prison, or a fine of up to PHP5,000, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Repeat offenders can face revocation of business permit and license. (PNA)