Maxi fine byAntitrust a Easy Ristrutturare e Renovars for unfair and deceptive commercial practices in the residential building renovation sector. The Competition and Market Authority has issued a fine of 4,5 million of euros against the two companies that they allegedly orchestrated fake online reviews and applied hidden costs to consumers.
The charges: hidden costs and fake reviews
The provision concerns, first of all, the diffusion of positive reviews not authentic on the online review sites Trustpilot and Opinioni.it, attributable to their own collaborators, in order to artificially improve the company's reputation. Furthermore, the false claim of “98% satisfied customers” was considered an attempt to deceive consumers about the actual level of satisfaction.
Another relevant aspect of the infringement concerns the practice of applying a hidden cost to consumers when they purchased materials through Facile Ristrutturare with a reduced VAT of 10%, instead of 22%. This behavior not only goes against professional diligence, but can also mislead consumers regarding the actual cost of finishing materials for renovations, an economically significant aspect of consumer choice.
The Authority accused Facile Ristrutturare and Renovars of violating the articles 20, 21 e 22 of the Consumer Code, in particular for the dissemination of inauthentic reviews online, the dissemination of false data on customer satisfaction and the lack of control over the activities of its collaborators. The practice of hidden costing was further deemed deceptive and contrary to professional diligence regulations.
