The Polish competition authority, UOKiK, has accused Benefit Systems of violating consumer rights by failing to provide clear information about gym membership contracts. Customers of fitness clubs managed by Benefit Systems may not be adequately informed about the duration and costs of their memberships.

UOKiK's President, Tomasz Chróstny, highlighted that the marketing messages for promotions often emphasize attractive pricing for the first month while omitting crucial details such as the 12-month commitment without the option for early cancellation. Consumers purchasing memberships online are required to navigate through additional information to find these key terms, which are not mandatory to review before completing the purchase.

Chróstny stated that if a business focuses solely on appealing aspects of an offer while hiding significant contractual limitations, it undermines consumer trust and violates the law. Complaints from consumers confirm that they were misled about the nature of their contracts, believing they were signing up for month-to-month memberships only to discover they were bound by a year-long commitment.

Additionally, UOKiK has raised concerns about Benefit Systems' practice of sending emails indicating that memberships are expiring, which misleads consumers into thinking their obligations have ended, while the company continues to charge fees by automatically renewing contracts.

UOKiK is also investigating potentially unfair contractual clauses that automatically extend memberships and increase fees without explicit consent from consumers. If the allegations are confirmed, Benefit Systems could face fines of up to 10% of its revenue for each contested practice.

Furthermore, UOKiK is conducting two additional investigations into other fitness companies, CityFit and WellFitness, to assess how they inform consumers about contract terms and renewal policies.