European Union: Consumer Protection Cooperation Network found 30% of online traders incorrectly referencing discounts

On 26 March 2026, the European Commission and consumer protection authorities from 23 EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway published the results of a coordinated review of online discount practices during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales under the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network. The review covered 314 online traders and found that 30% referenced discounts in a manner not consistent with the Price Indications Directive, which requires the reference price to reflect the lowest price applied in the preceding 30 days. Among the traders assessed, 36% included optional items in consumers’ baskets, with four in ten instances lacking clear user consent. In addition, 34% of traders presented price comparisons, of which six in ten did not clearly explain the basis of the comparison. A further 18% used practices such as low-stock claims or countdown timers, with more than half of these cases considered potentially misleading. Finally, 10% applied drip pricing, whereby additional fees were introduced at later stages of the purchasing process. Following the review, national consumer authorities may consider appropriate follow-up actions in relation to the traders concerned.