CONSUMER LAW | AGCM against Interflora for misleading commercial practices

On 29 January 2025, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) published Decision No. 31439 imposing a sanction of € 400.000 on Interflora Italia S.p.A. (Interflora) in the context of Proceedings PS12717, for engaging in an unfair commercial practice in violation of Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Italian Consumer Code. According to the AGCM, the company, active in the sale of floral gifts, fruit and vegetables, wines, spirits, confectionery, packaged foods and gifts, both in Italy and abroad, through its website https://www.interflora.it/, failed to respect the delivery times guaranteed to customers, delivered products of a different quality and variety from those ordered and paid for, and provided inadequate information on the costs associated with the delivery service. These conducts have thus been deemed by AGCM to be inconsistent with the normal degree of diligence, competence and attention that consumers can reasonably expect from traders and integrating an unfair commercial practice consisting of (i) the failure to respect the delivery times of the products sold and the delivery of products that differ from the type/variety of flowers chosen and the quality guaranteed and advertised on the website in violation of Articles 20 and 21 of the Italian Consumer Code, and (ii) the inadequate representation of the information concerning the costs related to the delivery service of the floral gift in breach of Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Italian Consumer Code.

Newsletter n. 104 – February 2025