How to return goods without a receipt: paper receipts may be canceled in Russia

The government is considering the initiative of individual departments to completely abandon paper checks in trade. Meanwhile, the rules of financial literacy say: ask for a cash receipt when purchasing goods or paying for services. And Russians are used to this. When making payments in shops, transport, cafes and restaurants, the check is confirmation of the fact of the transaction between the seller and the buyer. But what will happen if the paper receipt confirming the purchase and sale disappears from the trader-product-consumer scheme? How can a person return a product of inadequate quality without having a receipt in hand?

The proposal to completely abandon paper checks comes from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Federal Tax Service (FTS) supported the idea, but on the condition that this will not affect the rights of citizens.

At the same time, the Russian Environmental Operator (REO) recommended that retailers switch to electronic receipts, as this will save a large amount of natural resources and thereby make a significant contribution to improving the environment.

Paper checks have always served two functions. The first is fiscal: so that sellers, restaurateurs and service providers who provide services and sell goods pay taxes. The receipt was proof that taxes were paid to the budget from this sale.

The second function of the check was related to the element of consumer protection. Thanks to the receipt, the consumer could prove the fact of purchase if any problems arose with it. Arguments like “I didn’t sell you” or “that’s not my product” were popular in the 1990s. Russians were often not given checks. To avoid such stories, consumers were given the right to make claims even in the absence of a receipt. That is, if a person lost a receipt and the product turned out to be of poor quality, the seller did not have the right to refuse only on the basis of the absence of a receipt. The consumer, in turn, could refer to witnesses or present a label or packaging of the product. All this is accepted as evidence. As a result, it became difficult for the store to claim that there was no sale.

During the pandemic, many stores and enterprises in Russia asked customers about the need for paper receipts. Some provided only electronic receipts, while others offered a choice between paper and electronic receipts. Now the trend towards abandoning paper checks can be called massive.

According to Dmitry Yanin, Chairman of the Board of the International Confederation of Consumer Societies (ConFOP), when a significant part of the Russian population switched to paying for purchases with bank cards, the need for paper checks disappeared by itself. According to him, it is always possible to prove the fact of payment by card for a particular purchase. The information is stored in the history of banking transactions.

“We can continue to issue a paper check at the request of the consumer. This is the optimal solution. This rule applies, for example, in European countries. The seller asks if you need a receipt and issues one upon request. For sellers, this means a reduction in costs, since they will not have to spend money on receipt tapes, printers, or their frequent repairs and maintenance,” continues the expert.

Yanin himself is convinced that the only place where a paper receipt is still needed is grocery stores. He recalled that in Russian trade practice, disputes often arise due to the discrepancy between the cost of goods on the sales floor and on the receipt. “Very often you see people standing and peering at the receipt, trying to understand why they ended up paying more than what was written on the price tag in the window. Without a paper receipt, such a dispute cannot be resolved. That’s why I advise people to ask for a paper check. In other areas, it is completely optional,” the expert emphasizes.

But what should the buyer do if the electronic receipt does not arrive in the mail, and the product turns out to be defective? This should not frighten the consumer, says the chairman of ConFOP. If a product is found to be defective, it can be returned or exchanged without a receipt. So, in principle, consumers only need paper receipts at the supermarket and when purchasing expensive electronics. If, for example, we are talking about washing machines with dryers, then the percentage of defects reaches up to 15%. They break more often than mobile phones. And even in such cases, for 20 years now it has not been necessary to have a receipt in order to contact the seller with a claim, our interlocutor claims.

According to the deputy chairman of the board of the Rusprodsoyuz association, Dmitry Leonov, it is very important to maintain the possibility of using paper receipts when returning or exchanging low-quality goods, in the event of a complete transition to electronic receipts. “Given that consumers need a receipt as proof of purchase, it would be better to leave people the right to choose which receipt to receive,” he concludes.

Meanwhile, according to Anastasia Chumak, co-head of the Intercession investor rights practice, abandoning paper checks could lead to a conflict of interest between consumer rights defenders and environmental activists.

“It is important to find a balance between the two and develop mechanisms that both protect consumer rights and reduce paper use. The final option should be in the interests of both parties – both consumers and the environment,” the expert believes.