Online stores still structurally misleading consumers with fake offers: ACM
Online stores still mislead consumers with fake offers and discounts so often that the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) considers it a structural problem. “Consumers should not be tempted to make purchases with offers that are not real discounts,” the ACM said just ahead of Black Friday and the holiday season. From now on, the ACM will fine online stores that don’t adhere to the discount rules.
Since the start of this year, retailers advertising a discount also have to show the lowest price for which the product was offered in the 30 days preceding the offer. That still often doesn’t happen, the ACM said after checking the discounts offered online by sellers in clothing, consumer electronics, and bed specialists. “A large proportion of companies inspected were found to be structurally violating the rules.”
The ACM found multiple instances in which retailers advertised a discount compared to a high price, but not during the past 30 days. That could indicate that retailers hiked a price shortly before the offer to make the discount seem larger. In some cases, the lowest price that applied in the past 30 days was stated somewhere but not used as a reference price for the discount. Retailers also sometimes use the recommended retail price to mislead consumers.
“Consumers are sensitive to the price of products, especially when it comes to discounts. A discount must be a real discount and not just a trick to lure consumers,” said ACM director Edwin van Houten. “Unfortunately, we now see that too many websites are still using fake discounts. That misleads consumers and affects their confidence when making purchases. In addition, it is a form of unfair competition.”
Until now, the ACM has only warned retailers caught using fake discounts and alerted them to the rules. The regulator will now start enforcing with fines and other forms of penalties.
