The President of the Polish competition authority (UOKiK) has raised allegations against Jeronimo Martins Polska for unclear communication of promotional prices in its Biedronka stores. The company faces potential fines of up to 10% of its turnover, while three managers could be fined up to 2 million PLN each.

Consumer complaints highlighted issues with reading the correct prices during promotional events, particularly regarding multi-buy offers and the presentation of the lowest prices from the previous 30 days. UOKiK's inspections confirmed these irregularities, leading to the allegations of violating collective consumer interests.

UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny emphasized that clear pricing is crucial for consumers, who often rely on visible prices to make informed purchasing decisions. The misleading information on price tags at Biedronka stores has been deemed a violation of basic consumer rights.

Promotional offers at Biedronka, such as 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free', have caused confusion among consumers, who reported that the displayed prices did not accurately reflect the actual costs. This has led to a significant number of complaints to UOKiK, prompting the authority to take action.

UOKiK's ongoing investigations into pricing practices across various retailers aim to ensure compliance with the Omnibus Directive, which mandates clear communication of discounts. The authority has already initiated proceedings against several other companies for similar issues.