Consumers may be Deceived by an Online Optical Store
29 November 2022, Budapest - The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has launched proceedings against the operator of the eOptika eyewear and contact lenses online store for its practice towards consumers that is presumably unlawful in a number of aspects, including price indication. To prevent similar cases in the future, the GVH has produced an educational video on lawful price indication.
The Hungarian Competition Authority has launched proceedings against eOptika Kft, a leading company in the domestic contact lenses and eyewear retail sector, for presumably unfair commercial practices conducted on its website and in its advertising.
The GVH suspects that the undertaking uses price comparisons on its website which, through their visual design (crossed out "Shop price", strongly highlighted online price and the "discount" between the two), give consumers the impression of a price reduction in a misleading way. In reality, however, there is probably no actual discount, and the "Shop Price", forming the basis for the price comparison, was not used by the undertaking in the past.
To prevent similar cases in the future, the GVH supports traders with an educational video on legitimate price indication and promotional practices to help Hungarians better consider promised discounts.
The GVH also assumes that, by using the company's logo and brand name, the undertaking gives the false impression on its website and in its advertising that the iWear contact lenses are available for purchase in its online store. However, the manufacturer's products are not available there, and instead the undertaking encourages visitors to buy its contact lenses. Consumers may thus mistake the undertaking for the real distributor of the goods.
The opening of competition proceedings does not mean that the undertaking actually committed the infringement. The proceedings are aimed to clarify the facts and thereby prove the alleged infringement. The time allowed for the procedure is three months, which may be extended twice, in duly justified cases, for a maximum of two months each time.
Official registration number of the case: VJ/49/2022.
Press Office of the GVH