British online fashion retailer Boohoo has been fined €2.3m (£2m) by France’s consumer watchdog for deceptive practices. The directorate-general for competition, consumer affairs and fraud Control found the Manchester-based firm exaggerated discounts, giving shoppers a false impression of savings.
An examination of Boohoo's promotions revealed that 40% were not genuine price reductions, 7% offered a lower reduction than advertised, and 48% were, in fact, price increases. The regulator also stated that Boohoo contravened French labelling rules by using terms such as “leather” or “suede” for synthetic products.
A spokesperson for Boohoo stated that the issues occurred between October 2023 and February 2024 under previous management and are now resolved. The spokesperson added that the company has cooperated fully with the regulator and continues to review its pricing and labelling practices.