Business:
France Fines UK Fashion Site Boohoo Over Fake Discounts
An inquiry by France's anti-fraud and consumer watchdog DGCCRF found that clothes and other items were often promoted as discounts, when in fact they were not, or at misleading sale prices.
(FILES) An illustration with a mobile phone and laptop shows the logo and website of online fashion group Boohoo on August 12, 2021. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
French regulators said Thursday that they had fined the UK fast-fashion site Boohoo 2.33 million euros ($2.7 million) after finding “deceptive trade practices,” including fake sale prices.
An inquiry by France’s anti-fraud and consumer watchdog DGCCRF found that clothes and other items were often promoted as discounts, when in fact they were not, or at misleading sale prices.
Other ads described items as leather or suede that were actually made of synthetic materials.
“The use of discounted pricing and permanent sales gave clients the impression they were getting very good deals and were likely to influence their purchases,” the fraud agency said.
READ ALSO: France Hits Shein With 22 mn Euros In New Fines Over Consumer Violations
It found that among the hundreds of items it checked, 40 percent in fact were not actually on sale, seven percent had reduced prices that did not match the discount advertised, and 48 percent were actually more expensive than originally.
“In total 95 percent of the ads were not compliant,” the DGCCRF said.
Read Also
UK Economy Slows Amid Political Unrest, Mideast War›
French Newspapers Target Google Over AI Summaries›
UK Approves Paramount’s Takeover Of Warner Bros›
Online retailer Boohoo is part of Debenhams Group. In 2021, Boohoo bought the British department store brand out of bankruptcy and took on its name.
Debenhams also now owns the brands Karen Millen, boohooMAN, and PLT.
