The President of the Polish competition authority (UOKiK) has levied fines totaling over 5 million PLN against Olimp Laboratories, a major player in the dietary supplement industry, and three fitness influencers for failing to properly label sponsored content on social media.

This marks the first instance of penalties being imposed on both creators and advertisers for misleading advertising practices. Following the publication of recommendations regarding advertising labeling in social media and extensive educational campaigns, UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny has taken action against deceptive advertising practices.

Investigations confirmed that Olimp Laboratories and the influencers did not adequately disclose the commercial nature of their sponsored posts, often using vague labels that did not clearly indicate the promotional content. The company had been providing unclear guidelines to influencers, suggesting they use ambiguous terms that did not explicitly denote the posts as advertisements.

UOKiK emphasized the responsibility of advertisers to provide clear and lawful instructions for labeling sponsored content. The fines imposed on the influencers totaled over 40,000 PLN, with individual penalties for each influencer based on their level of involvement in the misleading practices.

UOKiK's ongoing efforts in the influencer marketing sector have been active since September 2021, with previous fines issued for non-compliance. The authority aims to ensure that advertising materials are clearly marked to protect consumers from hidden advertising and to promote transparency in influencer marketing.