The Shopping Centres Association of Russia has appealed to the State Duma to amend a draft law regulating online marketplaces, warning that the current version unfairly favors digital platforms over traditional retail.
In a letter obtained by Kommersant, Pavel Lyulin, Vice President of the Shopping Centres Association, addressed State Duma Economic Policy Committee Chairman Maxim Topilin, calling for significant revisions to the draft legislation passed in its first reading on July 9.
The bill introduces the legal concept of a "digital platform" and sets out the framework for relations between the platform operator (such as a marketplace or aggregator), its partners (sellers or service providers), and users (consumers). However, offline retailers argue that the proposed legislation offers disproportionate advantages to e-commerce players.
Among their key concerns, the association representatives propose banning marketplaces from changing product prices without the consent of sellers. They also call for capping the volume of platform-funded discount campaigns at no more than 5% of annual gross merchandise value (GMV). Additionally, the union urges lawmakers to bring digital platforms in line with federal trade legislation and to classify order pickup points as equivalent to physical retail outlets.
Stanislav Bogdanov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Association of Retail Companies, supported the Shopping Centres Association’s stance, stating that aggressive discounting by marketplaces is undermining traditional sales channels and distorting competition.
Source: Kommersant
