Serbia’s updated Consumer Protection Law, published in the Official Gazette No. 35/2026, entered general application in the first weekend of August following a three-month transition period after taking effect on 1 May 2026. The legislation introduces broader obligations for retailers, digital platforms and service providers, covering online marketplaces, digital content, subscription-based services and products that include software components.
Digital platforms face broader consumer obligations
The new rules expand responsibilities for online platforms whose commercial activities effectively place them in the position of retailers rather than solely acting as intermediaries. Companies operating digital marketplaces must adjust their compliance frameworks, particularly in areas involving consumer information, platform responsibility and commercial transparency.
Online sellers are also required to inform customers when prices have been personalised through automated decision-making systems or consumer profiling. The legislation introduces additional requirements for advertising transparency, including the need to clearly identify paid search placements and promotional content.
Rules tighten on pricing and online sales practices
The law specifically addresses misleading commercial practices related to consumer reviews, including fake reviews and false claims about whether reviewers have actually purchased the products they evaluate. Retailers are also transitioning toward digital price lists that accurately reflect current prices in physical stores and online sales channels.
Promotional discounts must now be calculated against the lowest price applied during the previous 30 days, limiting the possibility of increasing a reference price shortly before launching a discount campaign.
Retailers and service providers must update systems
The revised framework strengthens consumer remedies for defects appearing shortly after delivery and expands conformity requirements to cover digital services and software updates. Retail chains, e-commerce platforms, streaming providers, delivery applications and consumer-finance companies are required to revise their contractual terms, complaint procedures, pricing systems and consumer data disclosures.
Larger operators are expected to manage the additional obligations through existing legal, compliance and information technology resources, while smaller online sellers may face higher relative costs. The increased compliance burden could encourage consolidation toward larger platforms capable of providing standardised payment systems, consumer disclosures and complaint-management processes.
