The Consumer & Market Authority (ACM) was correct to impose fines on Leen Bakker and Koopjedeal for using fake discounts. The court confirmed this on Thursday, 13 November. The home furnishing chain and the deals website had appealed the penalties, but the court rejected their appeal.
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Leen Bakker must pay a fine of €130,000, while Koopjedeal owes €163,000. According to the ACM, both companies misled consumers by advertising products with so-called "from prices" that did not reflect reality. This made it appear that consumers were receiving larger discounts than was actually the case.
Investigations revealed that Leen Bakker listed non-existent discounts on dozens of products, while Koopjedeal went a step further by artificially inflating original prices to make discounts seem larger. The court ruled that the fines were proportionate to the seriousness of the offences.
Shortly after the fines were announced in June, Koopjedeal decided to cease operations without providing a reason. Both companies still have the option to appeal the decision.
Earlier this year, G-Star, Tommy Hilfiger, and JYSK were also fined for similar violations. These companies acknowledged their mistakes and promised to improve, resulting in lower fines.
Source: NU
