85% do not comply with regulations: UFC-Que Choisir warns of the practice of false promotions

UFC-Que Choisir is once again warning about fake promotions on e-commerce sites in a press release published this Wednesday. According to the consumer association's analysis, out of nearly 1,000 e-commerce offers, 85% of the promotions displayed do not comply with regulations and "are in reality simple "comparison prices" with names as varied as they are obscure (recommended price", "old price", "average price", etc.)".

In its press release, UFC-Que Choisir also announced that it is taking action before the European Commission regarding "the lack of response from the authorities" on the issue of fake promotions. It hopes to influence the future regulation on online fairness (Digital Fairness Act) and prohibit any reference pricing system other than that provided for by the "Omnibus" directive, i.e., a reduction based on the lowest price charged in the previous 30 days.

The European "Omnibus" directive, in force for three years, is not always respected, as illustrated by the 40 million euro fine imposed by the DGCCRF on Shein last week , recalls the UFC-Que Choisir press release. Many promotions are in fact still reductions calculated on a so-called "comparison" price.

Presented under various headings such as "recommended retail price", "originally", "old price", "average price on the marketplace" or even "price provided by the seller", these names, as varied as they are obscure, sow confusion and do not enlighten the consumer at all, denounces UFC-Que Choisir in its press release.

UFC-Que Choisir was already warning about this practice by online retailers in 2023, it points out. In its study of 6,586 advertisements two years ago, the association revealed that only 3.4% of online promotions were genuine discounts in compliance with the "Omnibus" directive and that in 96.6% of cases, the discounts displayed were based on arbitrary comparison prices, misleading consumers.