The ads of many security companies or alarms show an apocalyptic panorama, in which there are robberies at all hours and homes are continuously offered. The reality is very different – for example, in Spain there are 26.9 million homes and in 2024 they were only recorded – but these types of messages change social perception. The Ministry of Consumer wants to put this “advertising of fear”, so – still in negotiations – will prohibit inaccurate or false statements that generate panic and require that the ads that alert risks include real statistics. In addition, it intends to put aity to the result, that practice that reduces the amount of product maintaining the same price.
This type of advertising usually has extreme or unlikely scenarios, such as violent robberies or tense or catastrophic situations, to generate a sense of urgency or vulnerability in people and take advantage of fear, misfortune, suffering or superstitions. According to the department directed by Pablo Bustnduy, these messages capture the attention of citizens and generate a fear that can lead to precipitated or fear -based decisions, affecting freedom of choice and psychological well -being of consuming people.
The current regulations already prohibit advertising in which false information about the risk or danger that a consumer may suffer in case of not acquiring a good or service, such as the hiring of an alarm, is included. The Sustainable Consumption Law wants to go further and will collect that truthful statements must be accompanied by quantitative or statistical information that allows consumers to make a real risk assessment. These explanatory messages should be incorporated “in conditions of adequate visibility, adapted to the environment in which communication is carried out, complementary information of a quantitative or statistical nature that allows the consumer or user to assess their frequency, relative impact or proportion.”
For consumption, when companies resort to these practices, they contribute to the perception that everyday environments are inherently dangerous, which increases distrust and feeling of generalized insecurity. “This can not only alter people’s quality of life, but also divert resources towards unnecessary or disproportionate services in relation to real risk.”
Therefore, they consider that “regulating this type of practices would guarantee a balance in the market, promoting ethical communication that prioritizes transparency and respect for the consumer, while reinforcing a healthier and more realistic perception of security in society.” As recorded in force, it will be consumer who will sanction these practices when it is printed media, while in audiovisual media the work falls to the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC).
Redouflation preserve
The norm, which can still undergo changes during the negotiations, will go to the Council of Ministers in the coming weeks and then will have to be endorsed in the Cortes. Another aspect that pretending to regulate is business practice known as grid, that is, reduce the amount of product maintaining the same price. For example, a 200 grams fried potato bag has 180 grams but maintains the same price, which is a deck.
The Ministry considers that this can mislead consumers, who believe they are acquiring the same amount of a product that they had previously acquired for the same value. This strategy, although legal in many contexts, affects transparency in consumer relations and weakens the principle of truthful and clear information.
Therefore, the Law of Sustainable Consumption will modify article 20 of the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users to add this paragraph: “When a pre -ined consumption product is put on sale with a constant nominal amount, or several units of product in a packaged way with constant product units, it must be clearly and understandably informed to consuming persons when said amount or number of units included in the package is reduced in the package in an increase in the price per unit of measure, maintaining the same or similar design in its packaging or packaging ”.
And it continues: “This duty of information will be considered complied with when indicated in a legible and visible way at the final point of sale the reduction of the packaged amount, or reduction in the number of packaged units and the increase in price derived from such reduction, during a period not less than 90 days from the first marketing of the product with the new features.”
Veto to promote gasoline
the draft of the law also plans to prohibit the advertising of companies in the coal and oil sector, as well as transports that have less polluting alternatives (such as the train or hybrid or electric vehicles).
Thus, it will veto “the advertising of fossil fuels, being understood as all commercial communication aimed at promoting the hiring or acquisition of energy products composed exclusively of derivatives of fossil origin, without participation of renewable components, when it is issued by companies in the coal or oil sector.”
The consumer draft intends. Among the expressions that are prohibited in this section is: “Environmental respectful”, “friend of the environment”, “green”, “ecological”, “respectful of climate” or “biodegradable”. In addition, environmental statements based on greenhouse gas emission compensation are also preceded.
The text of the department will also facilitate the repairs of the products and indicates that if the consumer chooses to repair a product that is still under guarantee (lasts three years) instead of replacing it with a new one, the guarantee will be extended 12 months, reaching four years in total. In addition, a platform will be created online Free on repairs, where consumers can find solvent repairs, sellers of reconditioned goods, buyers of defective goods for reconditioning or participatory repair initiatives.
The replacement pieces “should be offered at a reasonable price”, and the web pages of the manufacturers must include information of indicative prices on repairs. As for the goods with digital elements, or the digital contents and services, the new law improves information on the minimum period during which updates of updates will be provided software.
