Deceptive commercial practices: clothing site Boohoo fined 2.33 million euros

The ax has fallen for Boohoo. This Thursday, Fraud Prevention announced that it was going to sanction the British clothing sales site.

Following an investigation, he will be fined 2.33 million euros for having “misled consumers about the reality of the reductions from which they could benefit”, indicated the General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression (DGCCRF). The company agreed to pay the fine, following a plea bargain procedure.

After analyzing “the prices of several hundred products”, DGCCRF agents discovered that the site had “deceptive commercial practices regarding the veracity of promotions announced to consumers”. Certain prices were thus increased before the promotion was applied, so as to artificially inflate it. Likewise, other promotions previously applied were not taken into account.

The results are harsh: with these practices of “crossed out prices and permanent promotions”, Boohoo actually offered “95% of non-compliant advertisements”. Four out of ten offered “no price reduction”, 7% a lower reduction than announced and almost half “were in reality price increases”, denounces the Fraud Repression. Furthermore, Boohoo also lied about “the composition of textile and footwear items”, adds the DGCCRF. Thus, indications such as “leather” or “suede” were used for synthetic products, and non-compliant or incomplete information could mislead consumers.