It misrepresented the actual terms of its discounts. And the composition of its products, passing off plainly synthetic materials as “leather” or “suede”. For this reason, the French DGCCRF, the agency responsible for competition and consumer protection, has fined the British platform Boohoo EUR 2.3 million. The company, as Reuters reports, says the practices in question relate to the period between October 2023 and February 2024 and that the new management has corrected the conduct.
France fines Boohoo EUR 2.3 million
There are two reasons, as mentioned, why the fast fashion platform earned itself the fine. The first concerns the promotion of offers. The DGCCRF found that in 40% of cases there were no genuine price reductions. In 7% the reductions were smaller than advertised and in 48% consumers were actually faced with a price increase at the point of purchase. The second concerns compliance with French product labelling regulations. Boohoo used terms such as “leather” and “suede” for items made from plastic-based materials (a practice, it is worth remembering, that is also prohibited in Italy). The Guardian recalls that in 2022 Boohoo already agreed to pay a USD 100 million penalty in the United States over similar allegations of unfair practices in price indications. For the Manchester-based company, which has struggled to return to growth following the boom of 2020 — when, along with all e-tailers, it benefited from the closure of physical shops during lockdown — this is hardly a positive development.
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