If a trader has cheated you as a customer, sold you a fake or “junk” product and then failed to accept your claim, do not hesitate to defend yourself. You can, of course, go shopping at a competitor or describe the seller’s practices on social media. But the law gives you another important tool: you can file a complaint with the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.
If a trader breaks consumer protection rules, you can file a complaint with the Czech Trade Inspection Authority. This typically includes failure to deal with complaints within the time limit, misleading discounts, incorrect prices or aggressive business practices. In 2026, the fastest way to file is through the CTIA’s E-portal, which allows you to submit without logging in. However, the CTIA does not resolve every dispute with a business and often does not decide your individual claim for money. It can, however, investigate violations and impose a penalty.
If you are unsure whether to file a complaint with the CTIA, a claim, or an outright pre-action notice, our attorneys can help you choose the fastest and most effective course of action.
You can find the contact details for the Czech Trade Inspection Authority on its website, or you can use the telephone or visit the inspectorate in person. Complaints can be lodged against most traders if they violate any of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act. Typical offences dealt with by the Czech Trade Inspectorate include:
Find out how to make a successful claim and what to do if the trader does not accept your claim.
The law talks about unfair, deceptive and aggressive business practices, which it makes illegal.
A typical example of an unfair commercial practice is when a trader gives the impression that certain goods can only be purchased for a limited period of time, for example, because a shop is (allegedly) going into liquidation or has goods available only on a one-off and short-term basis. He thus tries to induce the customer to buy quickly. However, when you return after a while, the shop is still open or the goods are still in stock.
An example of a deceptive practice is when a seller claims that its product can cure everything from a cold to cancer. The Czech Trade Inspection Authority itself cites as an example of a misleading practice a television advertisement in which the price of the service without VAT is highlighted on the product, while the price that includes VAT is in smaller print and not clearly attached. The recipient of the advertisement has limited time to read it and is therefore likely to register only the price excluding VAT. Therefore, even an essentially truthful advertisement can be misleading if the deceptive nature of the message is apparent.
This aggressive practice was typically the case with the so-called ‘scumbags’, as the document of the same name referred to vendors who took seniors away from their home town under the pretext of a trip. Here they would lock them up in community halls and offer them typically overpriced blankets or pots of poor quality. Their business strategy was, for example, to announce the opening of the hall only after at least 20 items had been purchased, or to take only those who bought something during the trip away from the hall.
In the case of offering goods at a promotional price (typically various Black Fridays), the trader should ensure sufficient quantities of goods to take into account the length of the event, the nature of the goods and the level of discount. Failure to do so could be considered an unfair practice (referred to as enticement advertising).
A frequent defect found by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority in traders are errors in the terms and conditions. Read what they usually consist of.
However, you will not succeed in dealing with all of the merchants’ offences with the CCI. This can happen in a situation where you disagree with the behaviour of a retailer, but the law does not consider it to be defective.
Typically, however, this applies to situations that are the responsibility of other authorities.
In practice, it often turns out that a complaint to the CTI alone will not completely solve the problem, especially when the consumer demands a refund, a price reduction or compensation. In such a situation, it makes sense to get a quick legal assessment and choose the right course of action from the start. Our attorneys help clients evaluate whether it is more appropriate to file a complaint with the CTI, to initiate an out-of-court dispute resolution or to prepare a pre-suit notice against the trader.
It is best to file a complaint electronically via the e-Post Office. However, you can also choose the offline route – the Czech Trade Inspection Authority has regional inspectorates throughout the Czech Republic. You can find the address and contact details of the specific inspectorate under which “your” trader falls on the website www.coi.cz. You can either go for advice in person during office hours or try telephone contact. The phrase Czech Trade Inspection Authority contact can be easily looked up online, making it easier to get in touch with the relevant inspectorate quickly.
In your complaint, first of all, write down who is making the complaint, including contact details and details such as date of birth. Then indicate the inspectorate to which you are directing your complaint. The most important thing is to describe your problem in detail, in particular to describe how the trader has violated the law in your opinion and to provide the necessary evidence to support your claims (a report on the complaint received, a sales receipt, a photo of the misleadingly labelled product, communication with the trader, etc.).
In our practice, three situations are often repeated in consumer disputes: an unacknowledged claim without proper justification, a misleadingly presented discount on an e-shop, and a “ping-pong” between customer support and the claims department where the client does not receive a clear answer for weeks.
The typical procedure is as follows: first we review the documents, terms and conditions and communication with the seller, then we evaluate whether a complaint, a complaint to the CTIA, ADR or a pre-action notice is more appropriate. Often, a properly worded legal challenge with references to specific breaches of consumer rules is sufficient. In some cases, however, it makes more sense to prepare a parallel complaint to the CTIA, especially when the problem is not just one purchase but a systemic behaviour of the trader.
The Czech Trade Inspection Authority cannot ignore contact from you. It should resolve your complaint promptly, usually within 30 days. During this time, it carries out an investigation at the trader.
If it is a general complaint (mislabelling of prices or misleading commercial practices), the trader will not be told your name. However, your complaint can no longer be made without specific details, for example, if it is about a faulty handling of a complaint. You will be informed of the outcome of the investigation. If the CTI finds a breach of the law, it can take several courses of action.
The Czech Trade Inspection Authority can impose a fine of up to CZK 50 million on the offending trader . However, these ranges are quite rare, and as a rule, penalties in the thousands or tens of thousands are imposed. For less serious breaches of the law, inspectors on the spot impose a fine of up to CZK 5,000.
Another instrument used by the CTIA is various bans on the sale of products or bans on placing products on the market if they do not comply with the legal requirements.
A complaint to the CTIA makes sense when you want to draw attention to a breach of consumer rules and get the authority to investigate the trader’s behaviour. In 2026, the most practical way is the CTIA’s E-portal, through which a complaint can be submitted without logging in, which the CTIA believes will speed up processing. The CTIA is particularly suitable for cases of misleading discounts, incorrectly quoted prices, unresolved complaints or aggressive business practices. However, if you need a refund, compensation for damage or to quickly force a trader to comply, a complaint to the CTIA alone is often not enough and should be accompanied by a complaint, ADR or legal challenge.
When a trader breaks consumer protection laws, for example by lying about the price, failing to deal with a complaint or using aggressive sales practices.
Usually not directly. The CTIA monitors compliance with the rules and imposes sanctions. Refunds often have to be dealt with by complaint, ADR or court action.
Preferably via the CTIA E-portal, which is the recommended and fastest way in 2026.
You don’t have to. The CTIA states that submissions can be sent without logging in. Signing in with a digital identity is only one option.
Even then, consumer protection may be possible, but it is necessary to assess where the business is based, to whom it sells and what law applies. This is where individual legal advice is often worthwhile.
Especially the receipt, order, complaint report, emails, screenshots of the website and photos of the product or price tags.
It depends on the type of submission and the complexity of the case. The CTIA states that the E-portal is usually faster.
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Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
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