Q: I bought an item of clothing from a shop for €18.50. While I was checking other shops in the same area I noticed that the same item of clothing that I had just purchased was offered for sale at €16.

I would like to know if sellers are allowed to sell the same products at different prices. I know that the difference in price in this case is not a lot but it still irritated me that I paid more money for the same product. I am still have the receipt. Is there anything I can do?

A: Sellers operate in a free market economy, which means they are free to set their own prices, and hence also the profit they want to make. What sellers are obliged to do is to clearly indicate the prices of the products they are offering for sale so that consumers can make informed buying decisions.

So as long as the shop from where you purchased the item of clothing clearly indicated the price of the product for sale, the seller did not breach any law by selling at a higher price than his competitor. It is the consumer’s responsibility to shop around and look out for the best deals before concluding a purchase.