Last week’s Aduc note
The Lazio Regional Administrative Court confirmed one Antitrust fine – amounting to 6 million euros – in 2019 against Vodafone, which had gone to great lengths in not providing sufficient information to understand its offers, adding unexpected costs and unindicated constraints, as well as activating unrequested services. In short, all the typical paraphernalia of many offers that still characterize operators in the sector today.
“It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth that it took 5 (five) years for the Administrative Court to express its opinion… but – Italian Justice – this “passes the convent”. And, since it is possible that Vodafone will appeal to the Council of State… let’s prepare to tell it to our grandchildren, in a context in which, also thanks to the slowness of these rulings, we cannot exclude that we will still be fighting against those who consider consumers to be idiots to sell ‘whistles for flasks’“, writes Aduc.
The TAR’s ruling, however, is a positive sign: “IIt indicates that not all is lost and, perhaps, if we manage to get these “pirate companies” fined – perhaps with even greater amounts – then sooner or later they will be convinced that it is not always convenient to dupe consumers to do business.
The invitation to consumers is to never stop and give up. Even and above all when dealing with small amounts because, even if sometimes the inconvenience is greater than the possible reimbursement of the amount owed, any condemnation against these companies is a further step towards a market where we are not dealing only between who is smarter and presumed stupid, but among economic actors, consumers and companies.”
Source aduc.it