Austrian Barbershops Hit With 77 Violations in Coordinated Raids; Counterfeit Chanel and Gucci Perfumes Seized
Published on 07/19/2026 at 17:13 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Austrian financial police swept 85 barbershops across Upper Austria and Salzburg between June 29 and July 5, uncovering widespread breaches of labour, tax and trade regulations. The operation targeted 172 employees, 130 of whom were nationals from non-EU countries.
The final tally: 77 violations. The most common issue — missing time records — accounted for 42 offences. Eight cases involved illegal employment of foreign nationals, while three instances of undeclared work were caught. A further eight breaches directly contravened the Gewerbeordnung (trade, craft and industry code). Fifteen violations related to cash register rules: one shop operated without any register, six lacked mandatory technical security, and eight failed to issue receipts to customers. That triggered 12 penal orders for missing annual receipts.
One premises went further than haircutting: investigators found counterfeit Chanel and Gucci perfumes on sale.
Updated Trade Law Provides Legal Backbone
The raids coincide with the publication of a consolidated version of the Gewerbeordnung 1994, now available in Austria's federal law gazette. The update sharpens the definition of commercial activity under §1 and clarifies the boundary with non-commercial activities under §2 — the core provisions used by authorities during inspections. Separately, the Erneuerbaren-Ausbau-Gesetz (Renewable Energy Expansion Act) was also updated as of July 9, 2026, covering subsidies and market premiums for renewables.
Minister Promises Zero Tolerance
Finance Minister Marterbauer responded by pledging a zero-tolerance approach, saying the goal was fair competition for honest businesses. Division head Lehner added that the financial police will intensify controls in the barbershop sector.
New EU Rules Ban Destruction of Unsold Clothing
Alongside national enforcement, a fresh set of EU regulations took effect today. Large companies — those with at least 250 employees or €50 million in annual turnover — are now forbidden from destroying unsold clothing and shoes. Exceptions exist only for damaged or hazardous items. The firms must also publish annual disclosures on how they handle unsold stock. Industry observers expect more discounted merchandise to appear in stores as a result.
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