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14th March, 2024

GVH investigates online marketplace Temu



The Competition Office (GVH) announced on Wednesday that it has launched an investigation into the Ireland-registered Whaleco Technology, operator of the Chinese online marketplace Temu in Hungary, suspecting unfair retail practices.

Temu is an online marketplace operated by Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings.

The platform behind the brand offers heavily discounted goods, which are mostly delivered directly to consumers from the Far East, website Economx writes.

Temu may be engaging in price display and promotion practices on its website and related app that may deceive consumers, the GVH added.

For example, the company advertises discounts of up to 95% on certain product categories, but no such discount can be found among the results for that category.

In addition, Temu warns online shoppers about the limited availability of the products during the entire purchase process, so exerting psychological pressure on consumers.

Temu probably also gives incorrect information about the environmental effects of some products, the GVH adds.

The maximum fine that can be imposed is 13% of the group’s annual sales, which is a huge sum, the authority warned.

Sources regularly consulted, with abbreviations used in text: Népszabadság (N); Magyar Hírlap (MH); Világgazdaság (VG); Napi Gazdaság (NG); Magyar Nemzet (MN); Népszava (Nsz); Kossuth Rádió news (KR); nightly TV news (TV).

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