Crackdown on Consumer Fraud: Five Companies Fined for Deceptive Black Friday Pricing

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030 has unveiled a major crackdown on deceptive pricing practices during Black Friday 2023, revealing that five of seven companies have been fined a total of 350,000 euros for artificially inflating prices only to revert them back to their original costs. The companies penalized include prominent retail names such as Mediamarkt, Carrefour, PC Componentes, Notino Italy, and Gestaweb 2020. Led by Pablo Bustinduy, the Department of Consumption has initiated a comprehensive monitoring and oversight campaign to combat fraud aimed at consumers. In what the ministry describes as an effort to promote transparency, the General Directorate of Consumption will actively supervise pricing activities to ensure fairness in the marketplace. Specifically, the department will employ a technological sweep to identify businesses that increase prices prior to Black Friday, only to drop them back to their original levels—an act deemed misleading and unfair by regulators. Other nefarious sales tactics under scrutiny include drip pricing, pressure selling techniques, dynamic pricing, and personalized pricing, which leverages consumer data to manipulate purchasing decisions. This campaign builds upon previous inspections that concluded this summer, where seven online trading operators faced sanctioning for similarly misleading pricing practices. The highlighted companies that have been penalized rank as follows: 1. Notino Italy - 110,000 euros 2. Gestaweb 2020 - 100,000 euros 3. Mediamarkt - 25,000 euros 4. Carrefour - 21,500 euros 5. PC Componentes - 1,500 euros In conjunction with the economic penalties, an accessory penalty of publicity will ensure that the names of these companies are publicly disclosed, as they are required to retract any misleading discounts offered during the Black Friday event. The Ministry of Consumption insists that all promotions must adhere to strict guidelines, which require that the reference price for discounts accurately reflects the lowest price offered within the past 30 days. These unscrupulous practices that deceive and exploit consumers are now subject to escalating penalties, which could reach four to six times the illicit gains obtained by the companies involved. The focus of this regulatory campaign will primarily target ecommerce operators, especially in sectors like textiles, toys, technology, and small appliances. As the festive shopping season draws near, consumers are encouraged to remain vigilant and stay informed about their rights. For real-time updates and insights, follow El Huffpost's app available on both Android and iOS. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2