Online misleading prices are so prevalent they are among the most frequent consumer complaints made to European consumer protection authorities.
A study by the European Commission in October showed 234 out of 352 EU price comparison sites and travel websites did not give accurate information and found the first price shown is often much lower than the actual or final price.
One in three customer’s don’t get the deal that was advertised and, in a fifth of cases, promotional offers that people click on do not exist.
European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourov said companies are flouting EU consumer legislation, which requires full transparency.
"The companies concerned need to respect the European consumer rules, just like a travel agent would. Consumers deserve the same protection online as offline," she said.
