According to the AGCM, the investigation confirmed the allegations of unfair commercial practices by the retailer. In essence, the online pharmacy “omitted or failed to provide truthful information during the promotional phase regarding the timely delivery of products listed on its website” and “exhibited serious shortcomings in the assistance provided to consumers after the sale, failing to ensure proper complaint handling, including through an effective customer care service.”

Specifically, the online pharmacy advertised fast delivery times on its website that did not reflect actual timelines, as the company in fact reserved up to 30 days to fulfill orders, without disclosing this to consumers—leading many to complete purchases based on unjustified expectations.

 In the post-sale phase, the AGCM found numerous withdrawal or cancellation requests that were either ignored or denied by customer service. As for refunds related to undelivered or damaged products, the pharmacy often offered a coupon or discount voucher of equal value to the refund amount, to be used on a future purchase—thus violating consumers’ rights to choose the refund method, and exerting undue influence over them.