Ahead of the November sales, a large-scale campaign has been launched in Catalunya to crack down on dishonest promotions. This year, local authorities decided not to settle for standard inspections: the number of monitored stores has nearly doubled, and the range of tracked products has quadrupled compared to last year.
Special attention is being given to sectors that traditionally attract the most consumer frenzy: electronics, clothing, and home goods. These areas most often see attempts to disguise real prices and present regular offers as exclusive deals. Inspections began two months before Black Friday, aiming to prevent companies from artificially inflating prices ahead of the sales and then announcing supposed “discounts.”
This year, 155 retail points and around 10,000 product items are under close scrutiny. For comparison, last year only 79 stores and fewer than 3,000 goods were inspected. Authorities note that stricter measures are in response to a rise in violations—in the previous season, almost 80% of checked companies did not comply with promotion rules, up by 9% from the year before.
Fines and new regulations for businesses
If violations are detected, companies face severe fines. For deceiving customers or providing false information about discounts, penalties can reach up to 100,000 euros. In cases involving breaches of competition rules, the fines go up to 20,000 euros. Last year, 45 administrative cases were opened after inspections, most of which have already resulted in sanctions totaling over 175,000 euros.
Oversight extends not only to traditional stores, but also to online platforms. This year, the number of internet companies inspected has quadrupled. This approach is due to the fact that most cases of price manipulation and misleading tactics are found online.
Buyers under protection: How to avoid sales traps
The authorities of Catalonia urge residents to be especially vigilant when shopping during major sales periods. It is recommended to track price trends on items of interest in advance to avoid falling for artificially inflated discounts. Special attention is given to young people, who shop online more often and may be more vulnerable to marketing tricks.
An awareness campaign has been launched on social media to educate shoppers on how to spot suspicious offers and resist aggressive advertising. Authorities are also encouraging people to plan their spending in advance and avoid impulse purchases, which often turn out to be unprofitable.
Overall, stricter oversight and increased inspections are aimed at making the discount season as transparent and safe as possible for everyone involved in the market. Authorities believe this is the only way to protect the interests of both consumers and small businesses, which suffer from unfair competition with large chains and online giants.
