The Competition and Market Authority imposed fines exceeding 15 million euros on several energy companies. According to the Authority, these companies engaged in aggressive commercial practices, influencing consumers to accept changes in energy and gas prices in violation of regulations established in the Decreto Aiuti Bis. This decree had prohibited unilateral increases in energy and gas costs during a period of severe difficulties in the energy sector.
The companies sent communications pushing consumers to accept tariff changes, resulting in significant increases in their customers’ bills. Some of them unilaterally changed prices for millions of consumers, relying on contractual clauses that allowed them to decide when to adjust tariffs once contractual conditions had expired. In some cases, companies increased prices even several years after the contractual conditions had ended, without clear communication to consumers.
Some companies acted before the prohibition came into effect, attempting to finalize price increases without adhering to the notification periods stipulated by regulations. Others threatened contract termination if consumers didn’t accept new economic conditions, forcing them to accept unilateral changes to raise prices.
In one instance, a company implemented increases before the expected contractual expiration, but by reimbursing customers and involving a limited number of consumers, it was fined the minimum amount.
