AGCM

PRESS RELEASE

ENERGY: THE ANTITRUST AUTHORITY, UNFAIR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN ‘ENI 3’, THE COMPANY FINED 250,000 EUROS

Ambiguous and omitting commercials capable of distorting consumers’ choices.

In a meeting on 03^rd September 2013, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato sanctioned ENI with a fine amounting to 250 thousand Euros for carrying out an unfair commercial practice within the advertising campaign ‘ENI 3’.

For the Antitrust Authority, the commercials broadcasted on the main television channels in the period November-December 2012, promoting offers concerning gas, light and fuel tariffs, were ambiguous and omitting capable of distorting consumers’ choices in a relevant manner as regards the services advertised. In fact, the message conveyed in the advertisements, through the images and the voice over, allured potential new customers with a promise consisting in the possibility to block the price of the light and gas bill for 36 months and to obtain an immediate discount of 6 cents on the purchase of a litre of fuel. However, the blocking of light and gas prices only concerned a portion of the bills (the so-called energy portion), difficult for consumers to quantify; whereas, in order to obtain the discount on fuel it was necessary to accept the company’s customer retention programs in selling fuels. All further information necessary to clarify the actual mechanisms of the Offer were provided in a totally marginal manner, with very small letters and for a few seconds at the end of the video. Therefore, the consumer was not able to make an aware commercial decision concerning the moderateness of Eni’s offer.

The investigation was launched following a report received by Unione Consumatori.

Rome, 11^th September 2013