GRTU take exception at Valentine’s Day street vendors

The GRTU called on authorities to intervene and investigate “rampant abuse” by street vendors selling flowers on Valentine’s Day. According to the GRTU, “mystery shoppers” buying from these seller were not given receipts.

“We feel that seven out of seven is a good enough sample. GRTU has therefore alerted the Commissioner for Revenue and called for an immediate investigation of this clearly rampant abuse,” it said.

It said that the “occasional sellers” not only set up tents in the street but have been competing unfairly.

“Mystery shoppers sent by GRTU made purchases from seven different street sellers in seven different localities and not once where they given a receipt and no cash register or VAT receipt book was to be seen.  It could hardly be a coincidence that only those sellers that GRTU’s mystery shoppers bought from did not give receipts while others did.”

The GRTU said that while the street vendors should be operating at much lower costs, their average prices were 30% higher than the prices one would find in licensed flower shops.

“GRTU is never against competition that is fair but we are having a very hard time finding the fairness and the level playing field in this scenario.”

The GRTU added that enterprise owners were hard working people constantly trying to find way how to maintain their business, their workers and the workers’ families.

“Even though it is widely acknowledged at global, EU and national level by the authorities that enterprises are the drivers of growth, job creation and their success reflects on the country's prosperity, the public perception of local businesses is poor.

“This scenario of unfair competition is not acceptable because any abuse is unjust, being it tax abuse by economic operators or even social welfare abuse by any individual. One cannot pick and choose. What is wrong is wrong and can in no way be argued in favour of.”

It said that it was expecting the authorities to immediately address the situation.