• Have you taken part in the “Magic of Discounts” promotion to buy Christmas gifts more cost-efficiently? Didn't you know that the bonus voucher only covers certain and incomplete product categories?
• The President of UOKiK has issued a binding decision regarding Jeronimo Martins Polska.
• PLN 150 - this is how much consumers will receive. Check if this applies to you as well.

The President of UOKiK issued a decision questioning the practices of Jeronimo Martins Polska, the owner of the Biedronka chain stores, related to the promotional campaign "Magic of Discounts - Toys and Books - Voucher from 01.12.2022 to 03.12.2022”. One of them was misleading about the terms of the promotion in advertising messages. The information appearing on posters in stores did not inform about products that could not be purchased for a voucher.

Promotion with an asterisk

Holders of “Moja Biedronka” app or card were encouraged by the chain to purchase three products from the books and/or toys category and they were to receive half of the amount spent on these products in the form of a voucher printed on their receipt. The voucher could be used for future purchases. However, the advertisements placed in the stores lacked an accurate list of products that could be purchased. The marketing materials bore an asterisk, with smaller print indicating the limitations of the promotion, which was to be valid only for selected industrial items or textiles. Following the complaints the Authority received, it appeared that consumers were surprised that they could not pay by voucher for a significant portion of the products commonly assigned to these categories.

Significantly, information about some of the items not included in the promotion, such as household chemicals, cosmetics, cleaning products or air fresheners, was presented to customers as late as after the purchase - printing of a voucher receipt. Detailed information was only available on the chain's website, even though consumers made purchases at the traditional store. The terms and conditions of the promotion were not available in the store in such a way that customers could easily read them before taking advantage of the promotion.

The President of the UOKiK issued a decision requiring Jeronimo Martins Polska to give the funds to the customers who have not used the voucher.

- The terms of the promotion should be clear to the consumer, without traps or asterisks, exceptions written in small font. It is not possible to organize campaigns that do not meet the basic criteria of transparent communication nor allow real and free reading of the terms and conditions of the promotion directly in the store, while shopping. The December promotion in Biedronka stores, instead of a nice pre-Christmas bonus, has become a troublesome experience for consumers - says Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK.

- As part of its commitment to change its practices, Jeronimo Martins Polska will provide new vouchers for aggrieved customers worth PLN 150. I encourage all those who took part in the “Magic of Discounts” promotional campaign to take advantage of the solutions resulting from the issued decision - the President of UOKiK added.

Under what rules is a new voucher granted?

The benefits apply to customers of the Biedronka chain who shopped under the "Magic of Discounts" promotional campaign in the period December 1-3, 2022, received a promotional voucher but did not use it and are still in the chain's loyalty program. Those who meet the criteria will automatically receive a voucher worth PLN 150 from the company for each previously unused voucher which will be:

• granted automatically to the “Moja Biedronka” card within 14 days from the date the decision becomes final;
• it will be possible to use it to pay for all products offered in Biedronka stores (excluding alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, infant formula and any services or top-ups, including phone top-ups and gift cards) as part of one-time purchases;
• will not be exchangeable for cash;
• will be valid for one year from the date of its issuance.

The information on the decision of the President of UOKIK is to reach consumers through various channels of communication of the Biedronka brand with customers: notice boards in the chain's stores, the website www.biedronka.pl, text messages (provided they have consent to be contacted for advertising purposes), the Biedronka mobile application and the entrepreneur's Facebook profile. To the consumers who resign from the Moja Biedronka loyalty program after the campaign and are not members, Jeronimo Martins will grant an e-code worth PLN 150 for each unused voucher. To receive it, contact the Biedronka Customer Service via email bok@biedronka.pl or by phone 800 080 010 or 22 205 33 00.

For details, read the decision of the President of UOKiK.