There will be no proceeding initiated against Sara Lee Hungary Co. Ltd. by the GVH . The leader of the domestic coffee- and tea-market observed voluntarily the objections raised in the complaints consumers submitted to the GVH. Sara Lee undertook to organize a final promotion for its customers collecting points and to give presents for those customers, who have already sent in any points.
The complainant contacting the GVH took part in the point collecting campaign organized by Sara Lee between November 1995 and June 2005. The customers had to collect a fixed number of points (i.e. to detach a label showing the number of the points in question) from the packages of coffee- and tea-products of Sara Lee. The text next to the point-label, attracting customers to take part in the promotion, disappeared as the point collecting campaign was terminated. However, the points were further on present on the packages of some products. This suggested, that the campaign would continue, therefore the complainant collected a significant number of points, he sent in the points, but gained nothing in return. Getting knowledge about the proceeding, Sara Lee informed the GVH that it left the points to be seen on the packages, because in the case of a future promotion consumers could have used them. Considering that the points to be seen on the packages may have suggested consumers that the point collecting campaign continued, Sara Lee undertook to remove the point-label from the packages of the products. Furthermore, the undertaking organizes a promotion with respect to the products, on the package of which the points are still to be seen.
Sara Lee undertook voluntarily, that:
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the removal of the points from the package would be started immediately; furthermore, no coffee or tea product containing points would be brought to the retail market from 31 December 2008;
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a final point collecting campaign would be organized for the period during which the products with point-indications on their packgaes would still be available in the shops, between 1 April 2008 and 1 April 2009
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consumers sending in points until 1 April 2008 would receive product-packages and further valuable presents.
Budapest, 4 April 2008
Hungarian Competition Authority
Communication Group
Further information:
András Mihálovits
Hungarian Competition Authority
Address: 1054 Budapest, V., Alkotmány u. 5
Postal address: 1245 Budapest 5, POB 1036
Tel: +36-30 618-6618
E-mail:
Mihalovits.Andras@gvh.hu
http://www.gvh.hu