No more fake discounts! Here’s why consumers need to pay attention to real prices.
However, many of these discounts are, unfortunately, fake or misleading . The good news is that since July 2023, stricter regulations have been in place to protect consumers from these unfair practices. But how much is this regulation actually helping people distinguish a good deal from a fake offer?
In this article, we delve into the topic of fake discounts, explain what the law says , and what to always look for when you encounter overly tempting promotions. We provide practical examples and helpful tips for making informed and safe purchases.
The spread of deceptive discounts: a real problem
The promotions we’ve become accustomed to are often painted in the same colors: huge discounts, rock-bottom prices, flash deals, and “last chance” offers. However, in many cases, these are marketing techniques that exploit our weaknesses: the fear of missing out on a deal , the desire to save , the temptation to buy a product we need or have long desired.
The phenomenon of fake discounts isn’t new. For years, consumers and consumer protection associations have been highlighting how many of these promotions were based on unrealistic prices or deceptive practices. Thus, in March 2023, European and Italian legislators decided to strengthen the rules to make commercial offers more transparent, protecting citizens from potential scams or unfair commercial practices.
The legislation: what has changed with the Omnibus Directive
Legislative Decree no. 26 of March 7, 2023, implemented European Directive 2019/2161 , known as ” Omnibus ,” in Italy. The most important change concerns the obligation for retailers to always indicate a product’s previous price before offering a discount.
According to this rule, whenever a price reduction is advertised, the lowest price applied in the thirty days preceding the offer must also be highlighted. This means that if a store or sales channel promotes a mattress with a 50% discount, it must also indicate the lowest price for this product in the last 30 days.
The goal of this rule is clear: to increase transparency and help consumers truly compare offers , preventing them from being fooled by fake discounts, which are nothing more than marketing ploys to make you pay more during regular periods and offer you “discounts” that in reality are not real discounts.
How to Recognize a Fake Discount: Signs to Look for
Despite the new rules, many advertisements claiming to offer significant discounts still exist, without complying with transparency rules. Here are some helpful signs to recognize a fake discount:
- Unreal or unverifiable starting price: If the listing shows a very high “before” price but you can’t verify whether the product has been sold at that price in the past, it’s best to be wary.
- No indication of the lowest price in the last 30 days : The regulation requires always displaying the lowest price in the last thirty days. If this information is missing, the offer may be misleading.
- Unfounded Excessive Discounts : When you find a discount of more than 50 or 70%, ask yourself if it is possible that the price of that product has never actually dropped in recent months.
- Past inflated prices : Often the “before” price has been set ad hoc, much higher than the usual one, to make the discount seem bigger than it actually is.
- Too hasty promotions or unnatural time limit
