2020 will be a year full of changes for both merchants and their customers: the new law for electronic receipts will come into effect. Starting from July 2019, merchants with revenues exceeding 400,000 euros will be required to eliminate paper receipts and replace them with electronic ones.

Starting January 1, 2020, professionals, artisans, and merchants conducting transactions with final consumers that are not documented by invoices will be required to issue only electronic receipts.

How does the electronic receipt work?

The electronic receipt replaces the traditional paper receipt through telematic cash registers that send the data directly to the tax authorities. This will make it easier and faster to record transaction data and, hopefully, help combat tax evasion.

What does this mean for merchants?

Merchants will need to transmit the daily transaction data electronically within 12 days of the transaction date. The new law for electronic receipts also includes administrative fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 euros for those who fail to include the consumer’s tax code or the details of each individual transaction.

And for the customer?

For customers, the change is minimal: instead of the classic paper receipt, they will receive a commercial document useful for returns, refunds, and warranties. The obligation to issue an electronic invoice, if expressly requested by the customer, will remain in place. Additionally, customers can participate in the “receipt lottery”: for every 10 cents spent with telematic cash registers, consumers will receive a virtual ticket for a chance to win one of three weekly prizes (50,000 euros, 20,000 euros, and 1,000 euros). Once a year, there will also be a draw for a grand prize of 1 million euros.

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