“The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection is examining the activities of the Lidl and Biedronka store chains in terms of possible violations of consumers' collective interests. We are also analyzing consumer complaints,” the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection informed PAP.
Notice regarding the promotion of alcohol by the Biedronka, Lidl and Kaufland chains
Among other things, explanatory proceedings in which the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection analyzed text messages about promotions sent by Jeronimo Martins Polska and the issue of granting consent to contact for marketing purposes. A notice was sent to the prosecutor's office regarding the promotion of alcohol by the Biedronka, Lidl and Kaufland chains.
There is also an ongoing investigation into illegible prices. Its purpose is to check whether there are grounds for bringing charges. It covered the following chains: Lidl, Kaufland, Żabka, Dino, Netto, Carrefour, Auchan. The aim of the proceedings is to clarify whether the stores displayed the prices of products covered by promotions from the last 30 days, in accordance with the provisions of the EU Omnibus Directive, as well as the prices of products sold in the so-called multipacks.
“We initiated the proceedings last year based on our own market observation, as well as signals from consumers. We are checking how customers of retail chains are informed about product prices,” the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection said.
“Soft speeches” by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection
“We also addressed 'soft messages' to retail chains. For example, the latest one, regarding the Biedronka chain, concerns the inability to check whether a discount has been charged on products covered by the promotion. Discounts are visible only on the receipt – after payment. We also pointed out that the method of presentation product prices on the receipt, on the screens of self-service checkouts and on the screens at standard checkouts in the event of granting several discounts from different promotions, does not allow us to determine whether the discount has been correctly calculated. We have received complaints from consumers in this matter. We are waiting for explanations from Jeronimo Martins Polska” – explained the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection in the information provided to PAP.
According to the office, last year the so-called soft speeches against the Lidl chain – and one of them concerned unclear promotion rules. “The consumer wanted to buy two packages of the product, but at the self-service checkout he noticed that the promotion was not counted. It turned out that only the next information in the Lidl Plus mobile application indicated that only two types of product were included in the promotion. As a result of the speech of the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, Lidl has taken action to increase the transparency of promotional messages addressed to consumers,” the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection said in the information provided to PAP.
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection also reminded that every consumer has the right to full, reliable information about the product price and promotion conditions. Advertising slogans must not be misleading. The product price must be legible. The consumer must know what he is buying and for how much. When shopping, it is worth comparing the prices of similar products – this makes it easier to provide a unit price (per liter, kilogram, 100 g). Any irregularities in price marking can be reported to the Trade Inspection or the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, the Office informed.
