Retail sale of watches and jewellery in specialised stores

On the basis of a filed request, the Metrology Institute issues to a supplier a decision on the mark of a supplier. Based on this decision, the supplier must submit a stamp with the mark of a supplier to record the pressure mark.

In addition to general information, a request to determine the mark of a supplier also includes the manner for the establishment of conformity of their products, and information about business premises where products are marked or stored to be placed on the market, and about business premises where products are placed on the market.

Details

If marks on articles (the mark of a supplier and the fineness mark) are suitable, the marking of articles with the compliance mark commences. The conformity of articles with the prescribed technical requirements is approved by the Metrology Institute or the person appointed by the Institute using the compliance mark.

Only finished products are submitted to be marked with the compliance mark. At the request of a supplier, articles may also be marked on the supplier's premises.

Compliance marks are in the shape of a shield carrying a chemical mark for a precious metal, the SI mark and the number of the regional unit for verification and supervision at the Institute.

Suppliers must ensure the conformity of articles by submitting articles to the Institute for testing and marking with the conformity mark or by keeping the prescribed technical documentation (self-declared suppliers).

1. Self-declared suppliers must keep technical documentation with the following chapters:

• production process,
• input and output control of the production process – product testing and
• marking,
• corrective and preventive measures,
• documentation management, and the keeping of records,
• reports.

Technical documentation must be kept by self-declared suppliers that are manufacturers of articles of precious metals and self-declared suppliers that are importers of articles of precious metals.

Following testing, suppliers must mark articles with the compliance mark S at the prescribed spot.

2. The testing and marking of articles with compliance marks is carried out by the Metrology Institute.

Suppliers must file requests for the testing and marking of articles of precious metals with the compliance mark, which must include the number of articles, their total mass and the fineness of the alloy. If the laboratory establishes during testing that the submitted article has the standard level of fineness that is marked on the article and meets other prescribed technical requirements, the laboratory marks the article with the compliance mark. If an article does not comply with the standard level of fineness marked on thee article or meet other prescribed technical requirements, the Institute's laboratory rejects the request for the marking with the compliance mark. At the written request of a supplier, a retest of the article is carried out by another accredited laboratory. The findings of the retest are final.

3. CCM mark.

At the request of a supplier, the Metrology Institute may additionally mark (in addition to the compliance mark) the tested articles with the CCM mark. This mark represents the highest quality level of the testing of articles of precious metals and facilitates unhindered sale of Slovenia products in the international market. The same equally applies to articles marked with the CCM mark in any other Member State of the Convention

Legal basis

• Precious Metal Products Act (ZIPleK)
• Pravilnik o podrobnejši vsebini tehnične dokumentacije, ki jo izdelajo in vzdržujejo dobavitelji izdelkov iz plemenitih kovin pri samostojnem zagotavljanju skladnosti izdelkov s predpisi
• Odredba o oblikah oznak skladnosti in znakov za označevanje čistine ter o načinu označevanja čistine na izdelkih iz plemenitih kovin
• Instructions for marking the precious metal articles

The mark that signifies fineness (hereinafter referred to as ‘fineness mark’) confirms that an article of a precious metal has one of the standard levels of fineness.

The fineness mark on articles of precious metals is composed of a combination of three digits which may be imprinted in a 0.8 mm x 1.25 mm frame.

The fineness mark must be imprinted next to the mark of a supplier. One fineness mark may be imprinted.

Legal basis

• Precious Metal Products Act (ZIPleK)
• Odredba o oblikah oznak skladnosti in znakov za označevanje čistine ter o načinu označevanja čistine na izdelkih iz plemenitih kovin

In shops, articles such as jewellery, goldsmiths', watchmakers' and silversmiths' wares or other articles made fully or partially of precious metals or their alloys must be separated from other goods.

At the place where the articles are sold, images of compliance marks and a table of the standard levels of fineness of precious metals must be placed on a visible spot.

Buyers must have a magnifying glass at their disposal which makes marks on articles clearly visible and distinguishable.

At the place where the articles are sold, articles that are temporarily imported as sample articles or articles for exhibition purposes must not be sold.

Legal basis

• Precious Metal Products Act (ZIPleK)

Suppliers who ensure the compliance of articles with regulations (self-declared suppliers) must pay the annual cost according to the tariff for the annual costs of verification.

The annual costs of verification and related number of inspections depend on the volume of the annual production and the imports of articles by an individual supplier. The annual costs of verification are determined for the current calendar year in respect of the entire volume of all articles made and imported by a supplier in the previous calendar year. If a supplier is also a manufacturer and importer, the annual costs of verification are determined according to the prevailing activity.

Verification is carried out at least once annually. The subjects of verification are the system for ensuring the conformity of articles, technical documentation and the conformity of articles in the technical documentation.

The annual costs of verification are paid by suppliers. The first time suppliers settle the costs is prior to the issue of a decision on the mark of a supplier. After that, the costs must be paid annually. The payment deadline is 15 days from the issue of the invoice.

Legal basis

• Decree on costs of assaying and ensuring conformity of articles of precious metals

Retail is performed in an outlet which consists of:

• a sales space where goods are directly sold, and/or
• an open sales space where goods are directly sold, and/or
• a warehouse where goods and packaging are stored, which is not a compulsory space of the store.

If another activity is pursued in the outlet, the space intended for this activity must be visibly separated from the section of intended for retail or be determined as such in the internal plan of this space.

The arrangement of the outlet's equipment must ensure the safe movement of buyers in the outlet and safe handling of goods.

• The scales for weighing non-packaged goods must be located in the sales space in the section where the sale of non-packaged goods which must be weighed is carried out. The scales must be in compliance with metrological regulations, and suitable for the quantity and types of goods being sold. If goods are weighed together with packaging (except paper, foil and bags used for delicacies), the scales must include the function of tare weight, which must facilitate the determination of only the actual weight of goods when establishing the price. If the scales do not have this function, the vendor must deduct the weight of the packaging from the total weight, and, when determining the price, take into account only the actual weight of the goods.
• Changing rooms for trying on clothes with a mirror, hanger and a seat must be part of the sales space where clothes are sold.
• A seat and mirror must be part of the sales space where footwear is sold.
• Shopping baskets or trolleys must be located in the sales space with self-service, except if this does not comply with the type or manner of selling goods.

Exterior of a retail outlet:

• The access to the entrance must be well organised and unobstructed.
• The façade of the outlet must include a sign in a visible position bearing the name of the company and place of establishment of the trader, and the potential name of the store.
• A schedule of the working hours of the outlet must be located n a visible position near the entrance.
• If retail is conducted also in a suitably arranged space next to the outlet, unobstructed movement must be ensured in this space.

Legal basis

• Rules on minimum tehnical requirements for performing the trade activity

A trader must ensure the recording of business events regarding the condition of goods in accordance with the Slovenian Accounting Standards or International Financial Reporting Standards.

At the point of sale, the trader must provide the competent inspection authorities with the following information on the condition of goods:

• number and date of the entry document;
• name of the supplier;
• number and date of the supplier’s document;
• name, unit of measure and quantity of goods;
• the sales price of goods;
• information on changes to the sales price of goods.

Legal basis

• Trade Act (ZT-1)

A trader determines the opening times of the outlet in accordance with his or her business decision and considering the needs of consumers. The outlet must operate in accordance with the published schedule of working hours.

When determining working hours, the trader must consider the number of employees in the outlet and their rights, obligations and responsibilities arising from the employment relationship as stipulated by the act which regulates employment relationships, and the collective agreement in the field of trade in Slovenia, primarily by the provisions referring to the organisation of working hours, breaks, rests and bonuses arising from working hours which are less favourable for employees.

Dealers may not determine the opening hours of stores on Sundays and other work-free days defined by law.

Exceptions are stores with sales area of up to 200 square meters at service stations, border crossings, ports for public transport, airports, railway and bus stations and hospitals.

Exceptions also include stores with a sales area of up to 200 square meters, if work on Sundays and other work-free days defined by law in their stores is performed exclusively by a person who as a sole proprietor is a commercial activity operator or by his or her procurator or a legal representative or procurator of a legal person involved in the commercial activity.

Work on Sundays and statutory work-free days together with a sole proprietor, a sole proprietor or his or her procurator or legal representative or the procurator of a legal entity involved in a commercial activity, can also be performed by a person who may perform temporary or occasional student work in accordance with the law governing employment and unemployment insurance, and by a person who may perform temporary or occasional work in accordance with the law governing the labour market.

Evidence

A schedule of working hours of the outlet must be published in a visible position near the entrance to the outlet.

Legal basis

• Trade Act (ZT-1)