Canal+ Poland has announced plans to appeal after the Polish competition authority (UOKiK) fined it PLZ 46 million (€10.6 million) for violating consumer rights.
UOKiK, which analysed several hundred sales calls, said the Vivendi company had misled clients over the purpose of the calls, promising them a free gift, when the purpose was actually to get them to sign a “parallel contract”.
Over time, some customers noticed additional fees and an amendment to their agreement. Following the conversation with the sales agent, television was provided free of charge. After the free period, the consumer did not have the option of terminating the contract and had to bear the costs of both contracts.
Initial prices were overestimated, with fees similar to the packages offered for new CANAL+ subscribers, as much as even by 50%. As a consequence, the offer presented during the phone call appeared more attractive than it really was.
In a statement Canal+ Poland stressed “the alleged irregularities concerned a single offer made by external partners” selling the group’s services. “We would like to emphasize that the external consultants did not conceal the subject of the conversation when they contacted the client and that the conversation scripts they used were prepared correctly. The number of complaints regarding contracts concluded over the telephone was low and was handled in favour of the customer.
As of 2022, Canal held 2.9 million the pay TV market in Poland, which had 10.83 million subscribers, according to a report by the Polish Electronic Communications Office UKE.