Overview

• UFC-Que Choisir analyzed nearly 1,000 crossed-out price listings on six major e-commerce platforms between February and April and found that only 15% reflected genuine discounts
• Reference prices appeared in 85% of listings and often relied on unverifiable or arbitrary figures instead of the legally mandated lowest price from the previous 30 days
• Genuine promotions compliant with EU rules offered an average discount of 11%, while misleading comparison prices claimed an implausible average reduction of 31%
• France’s DGCCRF recently fined Shein €40 million for inflating reference prices and failing to account for prior promotions in its discount displays
• The formal petition to the European Commission marks a push for stricter enforcement of the Omnibus Directive and broader regulatory action across major online marketplaces