Albert Supermarket Fined for Misleading Coffee Bean โขDiscount
Prague, Czech Republic โ – Albert, a major supermarket chain in the Czech Republic, has been penalized forโ a deceptive discount promotion on coffee beans. The Senateโค of the Supreme Administrativeโฃ Court recently upheld a fine against the retailer, finding its advertised “discount” misleading โคto consumers.
The case stemmed from aโค complaint filed by theโ Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ฤOI) regarding Albert’s Black Friday promotion. ฤOI arguedโ the discount was confusing, as it โฃwas calculated not from the regular price, but from a selectively chosen, lower priceโข within the preceding 30 days – a practice the court equated to “false discounts.” The ruling reinforces consumer protection laws designed to prevent retailers fromโข artificially inflating discounts.
According to โคthe court’s decision, published this week and led by Vojtฤch ล imรญฤek, Albert displayed the lowest price from the last 30 days “at the very bottomโ of the discount label, in โsmallโ print and connectedโ it with an โขarrow pointing down,” โobscuring the true extent of the savings. While Albert did provide the 30-day lowest price, the court resolute the presentation โฃwas intentionally designed to mislead customers.
ฤOIโค can imposeโ fines of up to โfive million Czech crowns for violations of consumer protection law. The court affirmed the imposed fine was reasonable.This ruling serves as a warning toโ retailers to ensure transparency in their discount advertising and accurately reflect genuine priceโ reductions.