The Polish competition authority, UOKiK, has raised serious allegations against Legimi, a subscription service for ebooks and audiobooks, for making unilateral changes to the terms of existing contracts. Consumers have reported issues regarding unexpected changes in the service's offerings, particularly with the introduction of a new paid catalog.

In October 2024, Legimi launched the 'Club Catalog,' transferring some ebooks and audiobooks that were previously available without additional fees into this new paid section. Consumers wishing to access these titles were required to pay an extra fee of 14.99 PLN for each item. This change affected even those with existing subscriptions that had been prepaid for a specific duration.

UOKiK's President, Tomasz Chróstny, pointed out that the existing terms did not allow for such a significant alteration in the catalog's content. While the terms permitted modifications, they did not authorize the removal of certain publications from the subscription service and their transfer to a separate, paid catalog. According to UOKiK, this practice unlawfully restricted the service that consumers had already paid for.

Additionally, UOKiK has expressed concerns regarding Legimi's handling of its free trial period. The company promoted a three-day free reading offer, but the 'Order' button did not clearly indicate that failure to cancel the service within the trial period would result in automatic charges. This lack of clarity could mislead consumers into incurring costs without proper notification.

If the allegations are substantiated, Legimi could face fines of up to 10% of its annual revenue.