Consumer's Telegram November 2022

Insert of n. 86 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)


2020 COVID VOUCHERS

Expired Vouchers Must be Reimbursed

It has been 30 months since the first vouchers were issued for travel cancellations due to covid in application of the 'Cura Italia' decree then in force. In particular, these vouchers were issued for travel contracts that should have been executed between 11th March and 30th September 2020 and whose cancellation took place by 31 July 2020, due to the occurrence of a so-called supervening impossibility (lockdown, hotel closure, travel ban, quarantine due to covid positivity...). The validity of these vouchers had been extended several times, first to 18, then to 24 and finally to 30 months. The first of them issued have now finally expired. They should, therefore, be refunded automatically within 14 days of their expiry. Affected consumers are advised, however, to contact the respective service provider and expressly ask for reimbursement. For more information...


DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Watch Out for Automatic Renewals

The offer of digital services has evolved greatly in recent years, with more and more services being provided on a subscription basis, replacing physical goods or the purchase of software licences. Examples are numerous and range from streaming videos or music, to subscriptions to online newspapers or magazines, but also the purchase of software through annual or monthly plans, which allow you to always have the most up-to-date version.
However, frequently consumers keep services active that they do not use or no longer need. Each one considered on its own may cost only a few euros, but put together they can make a difference in your wallet! The advice is to always keep an eye on your subscriptions, check the automatic charges you receive and cancel services you do not use or do not need. Read on the website of the European Consumer Centre (CEC) what else you need to watch out for.


E-COMMERCE

More Protection for Consumers Buying from Shopify-based Shops

In the first two years of the pandemic, online shopping increased considerably across the EU. However, complaints from European consumers about unfair commercial practices by some sellers using the Shopify platform have also increased. According to the complaints received by the ECC-Net, unfair commercial practices, such as the failure to provide any contact details of them to the consumer, were carried out by some sellers.
After an 18-month dialogue between the European Commission, the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC Network) and Shopify, an agreement was reached to improve the safety of EU consumers buying from shops based on the platform. More information...


CASE OF THE MONTH
A Dutch consumer while travelling in Italy, experienced a problem with the motorway toll booth: she could not pay the amount due because her credit card was not accepted. After a few minutes, the bar at the toll station was raised anyway to let the traffic flow and the consumer passed without paying.
A few months later, the consumer received a letter from the debt collection company appointed by the motorway operator and she duly paid the amount due by bank transfer. Two months later, the Dutch consumer again received a demand for payment for the unpaid toll. As the consumer had only used the motorway once, she contacted the debt collector for clarification. Receiving no response, she turned to the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in the Netherlands, which asked ECC Italy to assist the consumer. The latter intervened and it turned out that the bank transfer was not correctly imputed to the consumer's debt position. The second payment request was cancelled and the consumer received no further payment requests.