The Directorate-General for Consumers (DGC) today warned consumers about promotions in November, such as ‘Black Friday,’ in which false discounts, misleading advertising, or unfair commercial practices may be used.
In the campaign “Compare prices and consider your purchase – It’s your decision!” The DGC urges consumers to be aware of false discounts and misleading promotions.
The DGC refers to the law and recalls that the price of promotions “must correspond to a discount on the lowest price at which the product was sold, in the same store, in the last 30 days.”
At the same time, it suggests that consumers compare the price of the same good sold by different professionals, and use price comparison sites to enable informed decision-making. However, they were quick to point out, that misleading advertising “is a prohibited practice, punishable by law.”
The DGC also highlights some commercial practices used at this time of promotions, such as resorting to feelings of urgency to pressure the consumer to decide, fraudulent replication of official stores, or sending misleading links in emails, telephone, or social networks.
To encourage “informed and responsible” consumption, the DGC has issued several shopping tips for consumers:
- Check the exchange and return policies before purchase.
- Compare products and prices.
- Check if the value of shipping costs compensates for the discount or promotion or if the discount on the item compensates for the use of a credit card.
- Ensure the payment system used on the website is secure.
- Verify all contact information on the website is secure.
- Verify that the seller is who they say they are.
- Any sudden price changes must be reported to the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) and the DGC.
‘Black Friday,’ which takes place on the fourth Friday of November, is associated with great discounts, extending into various types of promotions throughout the month.
In an inspection action in 2023, the DGC verified advertising messages for 100 products from 20 economic operators, and “three infractions were detected.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
