Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) said Jeronimo Martins Polska misled shoppers during one-day “Special Wednesday” and “Valentine’s Wednesday” campaigns in early 2024 by promising a full refund via voucher without clearly stating restrictions on how those vouchers could be used.
UOKiK said ads in radio, the mobile app, Facebook and stores omitted crucial terms, which customers typically discovered only after purchasing and receiving a receipt and voucher.
“The marketing message should contain the most important information so consumers do not have to seek it out themselves,” UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny said, adding that selective presentation of conditions affected shoppers’ decisions.
The authority said evidence showed the company intentionally violated collective consumer interests. Complaints cited confusion and disappointment, including that vouchers could be spent only on limited product groups. Some customers questioned the promotions’ logic, asking, for example, why a voucher tied to one purchase category applied to an unrelated one.
Jeronimo Martins Polska said it will challenge the decision in court.
“Relying on the facts, we will defend our position and appeal,” the company’s press office said, adding that Biedronka “will continue to offer the most competitive proposition on the Polish market.”
(jh)
Source: Polskie Radio 24, PAP, RMF24