Discount trap Black Friday: Every third online retailer tricks with prices

Anyone who went bargain hunting on the Black Friday or Cyber Monday in November was very likely misled. An investigation by the European Consumer Protection Network CPC has revealed that online retailers often do not take the truth about price reductions seriously. Between November and December 2025, authorities from 23 EU member states, as well as Iceland and Norway, examined 314 online shops and apps. The result of this concerted action ("Sweep") is sobering: Almost all retailers examined heavily advertise price reductions, but in at least 30 percent of cases, the companies did not comply with legal requirements.

Compliance with the Price Indication Directive was particularly scrutinized. It stipulates that for any price reduction, the lowest price of the past 30 days must be indicated as a reference value. This is intended to prevent prices from being artificially increased shortly before a discount campaign. The reality is different: Only in just under 40 percent of the cases checked was the reference indication correct. Often, the supposed regular price turned out to be fiction: The discount campaigns were extended so long that the higher price was hardly ever actually charged.

Psychological Tricks and Hidden Costs

Consumer protection authorities also encountered questionable methods for manipulating purchasing decisions. Every third retailer tried to add additional items to the virtual shopping cart without being asked – often without clear consent. Price comparisons also frequently serve to obscure rather than to provide transparency: Six out of ten retailers failed to provide an explanation as to what a comparison price actually referred to.

Companies that relied on artificial time pressure acted particularly aggressively. Almost one in five shops used methods such as fictitious stock shortages or countdown timers. The network classified more than half of these cases as misleading. The "drip pricing system" is also common, where fees for shipping or services are only added at the very end of the checkout process to make the initial price appear lower.

Authorities Draw Consequences

In Germany, the investigations were initially coordinated by the Federal Environment Agency before responsibility passed to the Federal Office of Justice (BfJ) at the turn of the year. The President of the authority, Veronika Keller-Engels, emphasized that the increasing digitalization requires robust consumer protection. The affected companies from other EU countries have already been reported to the respective national authorities. These must now ensure that the legal violations are rectified.

Although this is not a representative industry study, the results indicate a systemic problem. Close cooperation between the EU Commission and national authorities is intended to increase pressure on black sheep. In the future, customers should consider even more carefully: A red price tag online rarely tells the whole truth.

(wpl)