The ruling emphasizes that retailers must not deceive consumers by artificially inflating prices before offering discounts.

Since 2022, retailers have been required to disclose the lowest price from the past 30 days during any price reduction promotion.

The case originated from a complaint by the Consumer Center of Baden-Württemberg, which welcomed the ruling for increasing transparency for consumers.

Aldi-Süd faced a significant defeat at the ECJ regarding its misleading discount offers.

This decision arose from a case referred by a German court concerning Aldi's advertising practices.

The ECJ's decision strengthens consumer rights by ensuring that price reductions cannot be based on temporary price increases designed to mislead shoppers.

On September 26, 2024, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that EU retailers must calculate advertised discounts based on the lowest price in the last 30 days to prevent misleading consumers.

The case specifically concerns Aldi-Süd's promotion of organic bananas, which advertised a 23% price reduction despite the lowest recent price being the same.

The Düsseldorf District Court had referred this issue to the ECJ for clarification on the legality of Aldi-Süd's pricing practices.

Other national courts in the EU are now bound by this interpretation, ensuring consistency in consumer protection across member states.

The German Retail Association expressed concerns that the ruling could lead to fewer discounts and higher average prices for consumers.

Heike Silber from the Consumer Center expressed satisfaction with the ruling, highlighting its importance for price transparency for consumers.