Consumer's Telegram July/August 2025

Insert of n. 54 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)

TRAVEL AND HOLIDAYS

The ECC is always on hand to help travellers

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the European Consumer Centers Network (ECC-Net), the European Consumer Center (ECC) Italy renews its commitment alongside travellers. For 20 years now, the ECC-Net has been helping numerous European citizens solve problems related to cross-border purchases and services, with a special focus on travellers moving within the Single Market. Whether it's problems involving package holidays, accommodations, flights, ferries, trains, car rentals, the ECC provides advice, sample letters, and assistance at no cost. For more information on the hot topics of summer 2025.

E-COMMERCE

Yellow card for SHEIN

Recently, the European Commission and the national consumer protection authorities (CPC-Network) confronted the online retailer SHEIN for a number of practices on its platform that violate EU consumer protection law: false discounts, pressure selling, missing, incorrect and misleading information about consumers' legal rights, product labels containing misleading information, misleading sustainability claims and hidden vendor contacts. It is now up to the company to respond to the CPC network's findings on how to address the critical issues identified. Should SHEIN fail to react adequately, it risks being sanctioned.
For more information.

E-COMMERCE

Shopping on TikTok?

In recent years, e-commerce has undergone a radical transformation. People no longer only buy from traditional sites or structured marketplaces: increasingly, consumers are being encouraged to buy directly on social platforms, where the boundaries between advertising, content and sales are becoming increasingly blurred and unidentifiable. With the arrival in Italy of TikTok Shop making purchases directly from a video or a live social feed becomes an increasingly widespread reality. But what may seem convenient and fun can also hide several risks for consumers, especially if they buy products from unknown or unreliable sellers. Not everything presented on social media is safe, legal or compliant with European regulations. The immediacy of the “swipe” purchase should not make one forget the importance of always verifying the identity of the seller and the conditions of sale. For more information on this topic.

CASE OF THE MONTH
A Belgian consumer had booked accommodation in Venice. On his first night, however, he was in for a nasty surprise: his mattress and sheets were infested with bedbugs. He immediately went to the reception desk to report the incident, but it was not possible to provide him with an alternative room, so he had no choice but to look for new accommodation elsewhere. The accommodation promised him a refund, but when, after several months and many e-mails, the refund had still not arrived, the consumer asked the European Consumer Centre Belgium for help, which forwarded the case to the European Consumer Centre Italy. The latter, to the consumer's delight, managed to convince the accommodation to finally make the payment.