The Ministry of Consumer Affairs will investigate the ‘false discounts’ that may be offered on the internet in the Black Friday, which is celebrated this week and which is increasingly being extended to more products and is more durable, after confirming last year some for which two e-commerce operators were sanctioned.
These operators were fined 90,000 euros for making “misleading discounts”according to the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, which directs Pablo Bustinduywhich maintains open disciplinary proceedings against six other operators for these same practices in the Black Friday, celebrated on the last Friday in Novemberin this case, it will be next day the 29th.
Consumer technicians have reinforced their price monitoring system on a wide range of products (appliances, electronics, sports or cosmetics) that can be purchased in stores and large stores, always in online purchases through the internet.
On Black Friday last year, they found that more than 20% of the products they analyzed did not comply with the legislation and that 60% of the companies investigated could have committed “misleading discounts.” By them it is understood that a operator raises the price of some products before the date itself and then reduce them to their original price.
For example, last year it was possible to demonstrate that between November 15 and 20, 2023, an operator offered a laptop for 626.99 euros, and a day later, on the 21st, he raised it to 759.99, and already between November 22 and 29 –coinciding with Black Friday–, they lowered it again to the first price.
Thus, people who did not have time to check the prices in the previous days and who were interested in that product They were not aware that it was not really reduced by 133 euros, since they raised its price in the previous days.
These commercial practices are considered unfair to consumers, according to the Ministry, and They represent an infraction that can be classified as serious infractions with fines of up to 100,000 euros.an amount that can be exceeded to reach between four and six times the illicit benefit obtained, according to the consumer and user law.
Those who are going to buy these days should know, as established by the retail trade regulation law, that Whenever items are offered with a reduced price, the previous price must be clearly stated so that they can be compared correctly. The previous price must be the lowest that has been applied on that same product in the previous thirty days.
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