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The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets has revoked the operating permits of energy supplier HollandsStroom, which previously traded under the name Hollandse Energie Maatschappij, or HEM. Earlier this year, the ACM fined HEM 1.1 million euros for misleading customers when selling energy contracts. The regulator also took action against HEM’s “unreasonably high rates,” forcing the company to let customers …

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets tightened its rules for the early termination of energy contracts. Customers can switch contracts without significant penalties, but the energy company still has to pay high purchase prices for energy in advance. “Suppliers are concerned that consumers with a permanent contract will switch quickly due to the low cancellation fee as soon as …

Electronics and technology company Samsung is appealing a fine from the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets, the regulator announced. The South Korean company was given 40 million euros in fines last year amid accusations the company influenced the prices that shops were charging for Samsung televisions, which meant that customers paid more. According to the competition watchdog, Samsung decided …

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Energy company Essent will significantly increase their variable rates for electricity and gas from 1 January. But due to the price cap introduced by the Cabinet, where the government will cover a portion of people’s energy bills, the impact of the rate increase will remain limited for most customers. Without the price cap in place, Essent’s price increase would mean …

Apple has changed its App Store policies and is now compliant, according to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets. The tech company now allows different payment methods in Dutch dating apps and therefore the regulator does not have to impose new fines. According to the ACM, Apple abused its dominant position, and makers of the dating apps wanted other …

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets announced on Wednesday a preliminary investigation into Alphabet Inc's Google for possible anti-competitive practices in its Play store. "Dating-app providers allegedly are no longer able to use a payment system other than Google's payment system," ACM spokesperson Murco Mijnlieff said in an email. In a response, a Google spokesperson said the company charges …

The Dutch antitrust watchdog on Monday fined apple Apple 5 million euros for a third time for failing to allow software application makers in the Netherlands to use non-Apple payment methods for dating apps listed in the company's App Store. The Authority for Consumers and Markets has been levying weekly fines of 5 million euros on Apple since the company …

Dutch competition watchdog ACM has decided more research is needed into the proposed takeover of holiday park company Landal GreenParks by sector peer Roompot. The ACM said on Monday that the planned acquisition may lead to Roompot and Landal gaining too strong a position on the market for holiday parks in the Netherlands. In addition, Roompot and Landal are the …

Electronics and tech group Samsung was fined over 39 million euros by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets. According to the regulator, the South Korean company was guilty of influencing the prices that stores charged for Samsung televisions between 2013 and 2018, causing customers to pay more. Samsung systematically scoured the online offers of its TVs and put online …

Many of the vouchers companies are offering customers as events and courses are cancelled because of coronavirus are not up to scratch and don’t meet agreed guidelines, Dutch consumer authority ACM said on Thursday. ‘Consumers have the right to get their money back if a company does not deliver a service,’ ACM consumer affairs director Edwin van Houten said. ‘But …

Some 37,000 people who lost money on fake dating sites will share €9m in compensation agreed by the company behind the sites, Dutch consumer authority ACM said on Tuesday. The sites operated by The Right Link allowed users to exchange messages with potential dates, costing between 60 cents and €1 a time. ‘These websites used fake profiles to lure punters …

The Right Link BV, a company behind 17 dating sites, agreed to refund customers who were misled by fake profiles on its sites, the Dutch authority on consumers and markets ACM announced on Tuesday. According to ACM, the chat operators made sure customers had long chat conversations in the hope of getting a date with the person of their choice, …