PRESS RELEASE

COLLECTION OF USED CLOTHING: THE ITALIAN ANTITRUST AUTHORITY FINES AMA OF ROME AND TWO CONSORTIA PARTNERS FOR UNFAIR COMMMERCIAL PRACTICES

The Italian Antitrust Authority fined the company AMA of Rome (€100,000), and its consortia partners Sol.co. (€100,000) and Bastiani (€10,000) – a total amount of €210,000 – for unfair commercial practices. This measure concerns information provided to consumers on the collection of used clothing, placed in yellow bins, and published on the internet site of the municipal company Ambiente.

It turned out in particular that the consortia Sol.co. and Bastiani, entrusted with this service, placed on their bins in various streets misleading descriptions such as “items in good condition will be recovered as clothing”, “thanks for your help”, “help us to help others” that are likely to influence the economic behaviour of consumers. On the basis of these stickers, one could assume that the collection was held for humanitarian or social purposes, whereas it has been ascertained that instead use was actually made of the garments for commercial purposes.

More specifically with regard to AMA, the company – according to the Italian Antitrust Authority – failed to exercise adequate vigilance on the consortia that were entrusted with this task; it did not provide a specimen of the information sticker that was meant to be placed on the yellow bins as laid down in the regulations that are in force; and finally, it did not give on its internet site adequate information and details on the true procedures and the purpose of the collection.

Following the start of proceedings, the parties took action to remove the misleading claims on the yellow containers. In particular AMA took the necessary measures in a section of its site that highlights data regarding the personnel engaged in the collection of used clothing and especially the fact that this activity takes place for commercial purposes and not for charity.

Rome, 29 September 2015