The call centres appear to have contacted consumers with offers to activate energy and phone service contracts, based on misleading information regarding the caller’s identity, the reason for the call and the financial benefits of the proposed offers

The Italian Competition Authority has launched, also thanks to the investigative activities carried out by the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza), seven proceedings into call centre companies promoting energy contracts – Action S.r.l., Fire S.r.l., J.Wolf Consulting S.r.l. and Noma Trade S.r.l. – and contracts in the telecommunications sector – Entiende S.r.l., Nova Group S.r.l and My Phone S.r.l..

The intervention seeks to tackle unfair telemarketing – a pressing issue for the Authority, which receives daily complaints from consumers about calls promoting contracts based on misleading information. It seems that the call centres under investigation contacted consumers with offers to activate energy and phone service contracts, based on misleading information regarding the caller’s identity, the reason for the call and the financial benefits of the proposed offers. In many cases, the calls appear to have originated from disguised numbers using a technique known as CLI spoofing, which allows the caller ID to be falsified. Various telemarketing methods were reportedly used, all involving the transmission of unclear and misleading information.

In the energy sector, it seems that telemarketing operators often pose as staff from the consumer’s current supplier or as officials from regulatory or supervisory bodies, claiming that existing tariffs are no longer competitive. Other times, they are said to cite technical complications or switching-related problems to persuade consumers to sign a new supply agreement.

In the telecommunications sector, callers trying to convince consumers to switch operators allegedly make false claims regarding service disruptions or imminent price increases from the consumer’s current provider. In some cases, consumers are reportedly persuaded to sign a new contract – either with a new operator or their existing one – following promises of highly favourable contract terms later found to be false.

The Authority highlights that, together with the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment (ARERA), it has launched the “Difenditi così” campaign to inform consumers about their rights and ways to protect themselves from persistent and aggressive telemarketing. Further information is available on www.difenditicosi.it. The Authority’s free consumer helpline is also available at 800.166.661 (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

An inspection at the premises of the companies under investigation was carried out yesterday with the assistance of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza). In this regard, the President of the Authority, Roberto Rustichelli, stated: “I express my sincere appreciation for the work carried out by the men and women of the Special Antitrust Unit and the local units of the Italian Financial Police in the provinces of Naples and Caserta”.

Rome, 23 May 2025

Investigation launched in July 2024 into several Group companies ends with commitments, including revised ethics and social responsibility statements, new protocols for supplier vetting and monitoring, as well as for enhanced internal oversight.

The Italian Competition Authority has closed the investigation launched in July 2024 into Christian Dior Couture S.A., Christian Dior Italia S.r.l. and Manufactures Dior S.r.l. without establishing any infringement, but by accepting and making binding the companies’ proposed commitments. The investigation had been launched under the Consumer Code in response to potentially false ethics and social responsibility statements, particularly concerning working conditions and legal compliance among certain leather goods suppliers.

The commitments made binding by the Authority include 2 million euro over 5 years to fund targeted initiatives – also open to other fashion brands producing in Italy – aimed at identifying victims of labour exploitation and providing them with tailored protection, training, support, as well as social and workplace integration.

The commitments also envisage amendments to the ethics and social responsibility statements, as well as new protocols aimed at strengthening the supplier vetting and monitoring process. Moreover, employees working in marketing and communication will undergo in-house training on consumer protection laws, while suppliers and subcontractors will receive external training focused on labour law and the ethical principles outlined in the Supplier Code of Conduct adopted by the companies of the Dior Group.

Rome, 21 May 2025

The Authority invited the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP) to take steps so that consumers wishing to buy tickets for the ongoing tournament are clearly informed from the outset about the mandatory service fees added to the base ticket price.

The Italian Competition Authority has exerted its moral suasion on the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, urging it to provide consumers – from the very beginning of the purchasing process – with clear and adequate information about the additional fees applied to ticket purchases for the 2025 Italian Open (also known as Internazionali BNL d’Italia). The tickets for the tournament, organised and managed by the Federation, are available for purchase on the event’s website www.internazionalibnlditalia.com.

The lack of immediate access to this information could have amounted to a violation of articles 20, 21 e 22 of the Consumer Code, as it could have limited consumers’ freedom of choice or behaviour, and misled them into believing the price was lower than the final amount charged at checkout.

Following the moral suasion, the Federation updated the section of the website dedicated to ticket sales for the 2025 Italian Open event, so that as soon as ticket prices appear, consumers are clearly informed of a service fee, ranging from 1.50 euros to 7% of the ticket price. Similar changes were applied to other websites for events managed by the Federation.

Moreover, FITP has agreed to update all event websites it manages by the end of June, to ensure that the exact amount of the service fee for each ticket type is clearly visible from the very start of the purchase process.

Rome, 8 May 2025

Investigation closed with commitments following suspected unfair practice in notifying the renewal of expiring supply terms to customers.

The Italian Competition Authority’s investigation into Enel Energia over a suspected unfair commercial practice has been closed with commitments. The investigation had been launched because the methods adopted by the company to inform customers about the renewal of expiring economic supply conditions – effective from 1 June 2023 – may have left consumers unaware of the price increases. Moreover, where renewal notices were sent digitally, the accompanying letter (so-called DEM) could have been mistaken for a promotional message.

Thanks to the commitments secured by the Authority, Enel Energia will offer over 40,000 customers more than 5 million euro in compensation. In particular, compensation will be granted automatically to customers who were informed of the renewal by post (with economic supply conditions effective from June 2023 until April 2024) – but whose notice went undelivered. Customers who received a renewal notice online (with economic supply conditions effective from June 2023 until April 2024) will also receive compensation – provided they filed a complaint citing the unclear communication of the new contractual conditions with Enel Energia and/or the Authority within the date of the latter’s commitment acceptance decision.

Compensation will apply both to consumers that maintained their contract with the company – who will receive a bonus on their invoice – and to those that switched to another provider, who will be issued a credit note. Enel Energia also agreed to introduce a range of informational measures, consisting of a coordinated system of notices and alerts (SMS, email, invoice, app notifications and Customer Account) to remind customers of the new supply conditions.

Lastly, the company agreed to change the design and wording of its DEMs, as well as to upgrade its IT systems and features of its customer support service, especially when it comes to the renewal of expiring contractual conditions.

Rome, 6 May 2025

The company sells garments manufactured in Tunisia and exported with a price tag displaying two amounts, with the higher one crossed out. The Authority believes the clothing may have been produced from the outset to be sold at a lower price in outlet stores

Following concerns flagged by the Livorno Customs Office, the Italian Competition Authority launched an investigation into Man Project S.r.l. over an unfair commercial practice. The company sells garments under the Coveri Tailor brand, which arrive in Italy with a price tag featuring two amounts, the higher of which is crossed out.

According to the Authority, the garments are new, made in Tunisia and manufactured for the sole purpose of being sold in outlets, even though they have never been for sale in other stores. They are therefore specifically designed to be sold in outlet stores at a lower price.

This sales approach and price indication could qualify as an unfair commercial practice. It may lead consumers to think that the products are from a well-known brand, sold at a discounted price as surplus stock or unsold items from previous collections.

Moreover, the price tag showing two amounts, with the higher of the two crossed out and not reflecting the actual price – but rather an estimated ‘market value’ of the products – may cause consumers to perceive the purchase as a particularly good deal.

An inspection at the premises of Man Project S.r.l. was carried out yesterday by the Authority’s officials, assisted by the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza).

Rome, 11 April 2025

The Authority imposed fines over prolonged ticket unavailability, partly caused by bots and other automated hoarding tools.

The Italian Competition Authority has imposed a fine of almost 20 million euro on Società Cooperativa Culture (CoopCulture) and tour operators Tiqets International BV, GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, Walks LLC, Italy With Family S.r.l., City Wonders Limited and Musement S.p.A. The investigation was launched in July 2023, after the Authority gathered information indicating that the online purchase of tickets to access the Colosseum Archaeological Park was essentially impossible.

CoopCulture, which managed the official ticket sale service for access to the Colosseum from 1997 until 2024, was issued an administrative fine of 7 million euro for knowingly contributing to the substantial and prolonged unavailability of base-priced tickets for entry to the Colosseum. On the one hand, CoopCulture failed to take adequate steps to counter automated ticket hoarding; on the other, it kept a sizeable share of tickets for bundled sales tied to its own educational tours, which generated considerable profits. This resulted in CoopCulture forcing consumers to turn to tour operators and platforms that resold tickets bundled with additional services (such as guided tours, pickup, or priority access) at much higher prices.

Within the same proceedings, the Authority also imposed fines on the six tour operators mentioned above, which used bots or other automated tools to purchase tickets, contributing to the rapid disappearance of base-priced tickets on the website of licensed operator CoopCulture. By doing so, the operators benefited from the constant unavailability of tickets, which left consumers seeking access to the Colosseum with no choice but to purchase them through these channels – often at much higher prices due to the bundling with additional services offered either directly or via other operators.

The Authority found that CoopCulture’s conduct amounts to an unfair commercial practice in breach of article 20, paragraph 2 of the Consumer Code; the conduct put in place by Tiqets International BV, GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, Walks LLC, Italy With Family S.r.l., City Wonders Limited and Musement S.p.A. on the other hand, was found to be in violation of articles 24 and 25 of the Code, and – as of 2 April 2023 – also of article 23, paragraph 1, bb-bis) of the same Code.

Rome, 8 April 2025

Consumer protection investigation launched in October 2024 ends with commitments. Refunds and compensation to over 7,700 consumers and micro-enterprises.

The Italian Competition Authority has accepted the commitments offered by Otis Servizi S.r.l., thereby closing the investigation into the company opened back in October 2024. The proceedings had been opened under the Consumer Code, due to the installation of a device requiring payment, named Otis One, on lifts – in some cases without first obtaining express consent – and in response to user complaints about delays in receiving lift installation or repair services.

It is estimated that the commitments made binding by the Authority will affect over 7,700 consumers and micro-enterprises, involving a total of approximately 1.45 million euros.

The commitments will benefit consumers (including apartment residents) and micro-enterprises, through refunds where the Otis One device was installed and/or compensation for delays or complications related to lift installation and/or for repair and improvement works. To this end, within three months of the acceptance of the commitments, Otis will send a registered letter with return receipt or a certified email to the affected consumers and micro-enterprises to request their bank details. Refunds and/or compensation will then be paid within the following 12 months to those who submitted the required information.

In addition to financial remedies – as part of its commitments – Otis Servizi S.r.l will no longer install paid accessories on lifts without first obtaining express consent. It will also roll out a comprehensive set of measures designed to improve the accuracy of the information it provides and speed up the handling of user requests.

Rome, 3 April 2025

Morellato, a leading operator in the production and sale of jewellery and watches, is alleged to have adopted a contractual strategy vis-à-vis its distributors which could restrict competition on the online distribution channel

The Italian Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Morellato S.p.A. over a suspected violation of article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), consisting in adopting commercial terms prohibiting authorised distributors from selling its products on online marketplaces and third-party platforms. The company is a leading operator in the jewellery and watch sector, active in the production, marketing and sale of products both under its own brand and a portfolio of proprietary and licensed brands (Sector No Limits, Philip Watch, Lucien Rochat, Live Diamond, Oui&Me, La Petite Story, Chronostar, FAVS, Bluespirit, CHRIST, Brinckmann & Lange, Cleor, D’Amante, Noélie, Maserati, Chiara Ferragni, Trussardi, Esprit, Jette, Guido Maria Kretschmer). Morellato entered into selective distribution agreements expressly prohibiting retailers from selling its products on online marketplaces, while retaining the right to do so itself, including through dedicated stores on digital sales platforms (such as Amazon). According to the Authority, by prohibiting the use of third-party platforms in its distribution agreements, Morellato may be preventing its distributors from effectively using the Internet to sell products to particular customers or territories, contrary to Regulation (EU) 720/2022 of the European Commission.

An inspection at the premises of Morellato S.p.A. was carried out yesterday by the Authority’s officials, assisted by the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza).

Rome, 26 March 2025

Access to the high-speed passenger transport market by new entrant SNCF Voyages Italia appears to have been slowed down, and in some cases hindered

The Italian Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Rete Ferroviaria Italiana S.p.A. and its parent company Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane S.p.A. for suspected abuse of dominant position, in breach of article 102 of the TFEU. According to the Authority, access to the national railway infrastructure and, as a consequence, entry into the high-speed passenger transport market by new player SNCF Voyages Italia S.r.l. appears to have been slowed down, and in some cases hindered. In its decision to open the proceedings, the Authority alleges that Rete Ferroviaria Italiana S.p.A. implemented an exclusionary strategy by engaging in various practices related to the allocation of infrastructure capacity.

The Authority’s officials, assisted by the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza), carried out inspections yesterday at the premises of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana S.p.A., Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane S.p.A. as well as Trenitalia S.p.A. and Italo - Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori S.p.A., deemed to hold documents relevant to the investigation.

Rome, 21 March 2025