Adiviser's answers
 

Mrs. Rossi and the hotel promotional offers
 

During a stay in a hotel in Cote d’Azur Mrs. Rossi joined a party for cosmetics promotion.

After having attended some tests and having herself made-up by an expert, she bought cosmetics for more than 200 €, an expense required in order to benefit from a special offer which included a massage for free.  However, later Mrs. Rossi realized that actually the offer was not so convenient, because probably elsewhere she would have been able to buy the same products for a lower price. What she could do now? What are her rights in this case? Could she renounce the offer and be reimbursed?

Not sure on how to behave, Mrs. Rossi contacted the European Consumer Centre, in order to gain information about consumers’ protection by European law and make the right choice.
 

Solution of the case

These types of selling are called “off premises selling”, because they are not carried out in a specific place (i.e. inside trader’s shop). Taking into account, in such cases, the difficulty for the consumers to compare by themselves products quality and price, the European Union issued the Directive 85/577/EC, for a more efficient consumers protection.

This Directive confers consumers the right of withdrawal from an off premises contract within 10 working days. Therefore, consumers are entitled to inform trader about their choice without having to specify their reasons or to pay any penalty.

N.B.: If the traded does not provide consumers with all necessary information, the right of withdrawal can be exercised within 60 working days.

For further information or to ask for ECC-Net assistance in order to solve your dispute:
ECC-Net Italia
info@ecc-netitalia.it
Tel 0644238090