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Enforcement
08.06.2020

“Apple: Compensate consumers for intentionally depleting Iphones”

Euroconsumers calls on tech giant to pay damages 

BRUSSELS – Today, 11th June, Euroconsumers, the world’s leading consumer cluster organisation, announced it has called on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) to end so-called planned obsolescence of Apple iPhones and as has occurred in the US following the $310 million settlement, to pay damages to European consumers affected by this policy.

“Planned obsolescence represents not only a deliberate unfair practice towards consumers, it is also environmentally irresponsible, wilfully increasing the volume of electronic waste which is also amongst the most polluting. We need to stop this,” said Els Bruggeman, Head of Policy and Enforcement at Euroconsumers. “We are willing to sit down with Apple and find a solution to move forward and end such unfair practices.”

On 29th May, in Italy, the Administrative Court of Lazio confirmed the fine of  €10 million, imposed on 24 October 2019 by the Italian Antitrust Authority against Apple in relation to the implications for the Iphone performance of updating the IOS operating system. In addition, it was announced in March that the same anti-consumer behaviour is the focus of a class action lawsuit in the US where the proposed preliminary settlement calls for Apple to pay consumers $25 for each iPhone, with a minimum total payout of $310 million.

Euroconsumers and its member organisations are calling on Apple to pay damages to all similarly affected consumers in its European countries and Brazil.