Unfair competition: Consumer Protection Foundation threatens Lidl with legal action
The Foundation for Consumer Protection (SKS) is calling out the discount retailer Lidl. The SKS is convinced that Lidl is making false claims in its advertising regarding the production methods used for fruits and vegetables, and is threatening to file a lawsuit.
The Foundation for Consumer Protection SKS is blowing the whistle on the discounter Lidl. The SKS is convinced that Lidl is making false claims about the production methods of fruit and vegetables and is threatening legal action. Specifically, it is concerned with statements in the "Emotion" advertising brochure, in which Lidl advertises "Suisse Garantie" foodstuffs that have been produced "without the use of chemicals and genetic engineering".
"Suisse Garantie" only provides information about the origin, said SKS Managing Director Sara Stalder when asked by SDA. In addition, "Suisse Garantie" products may well be produced with the help of chemical pesticides. The statement that the fruit and vegetables are GMO-free is also misleading. According to Stalder, the entire agricultural sector in Switzerland is obliged to produce GMO-free by 2013. It is therefore misleading to advertise with this label and violates fair competition. There are guaranteed to be customers who would be impressed by this.
The SKS will soon be sitting down with Lidl at a round table to discuss the statements. If Lidl does not want to remove the posts, the matter will go to court, says Stalder. She does not believe it was an oversight. The discounter had taken five years to prepare its market entry. "That should actually be enough time to find out about the conditions in Switzerland."
"Suisse Garantie" only provides information about the origin, said SKS Managing Director Sara Stalder when asked by SDA. In addition, "Suisse Garantie" products may well be produced with the help of chemical pesticides. The statement that the fruit and vegetables are GMO-free is also misleading. According to Stalder, the entire agricultural sector in Switzerland is obliged to produce GMO-free by 2013. It is therefore misleading to advertise with this label and violates fair competition. There are guaranteed to be customers who would be impressed by this.
The SKS will soon be sitting down with Lidl at a round table to discuss the statements. If Lidl does not want to remove the posts, the matter will go to court, says Stalder. She does not believe it was an oversight. The discounter had taken five years to prepare its market entry. "That should actually be enough time to find out about the conditions in Switzerland."
