There was supposed to be a promotional action entitled: „Get to know a Polish Brand,” a laptop as a gift and discounts of tens of thousands of zlotys. Instead, there were trade shows with sales of products at very high prices.
The president of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection fined New Life more than PLN 1.2 million for misleading consumers. Financial consequences – PLN 225,000 – will also be incurred by the company’s president, who intentionally led to violations of collective consumer interests and obstructed inspections. Indeed, managers cannot go unpunished when they engage in such behaviour.
The company is the organizer of trade shows to which people over 40 and seniors are invited. The invitations are therefore aimed at a particularly vulnerable group of consumers. The entity deliberately misleads consumers in order to make them come to the show and buy the products presented at the meeting. In order to achieve the indicated goal, numerous manipulations were committed, e.g. hiding the true purpose of the meeting, promising non-existent gifts, giving the impression of a special targeted benefit. The aforementioned could distort consumers’ decisions and, consequently, induce unnecessary and unprofitable purchases.
The president of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection ordered the company to immediately cease the challenged practices. Once the decision becomes final, the company will also have to inform all consumers with whom it has entered into a contract.
In connection with the unfair practice, it is worth noting several issues to guard against the trap set for consumers by dishonest entrepreneurs, such as:
– don’t be fooled by information that the survey or promotion is free – such gifts are usually not free;
– beware of installment payments – especially check for hidden additional costs;
– remember that you have the right to rescind the contract and that a defective product can be complained about.
