In January 2019 a new proposal was approved by the Internal
Market and Consumer Protection Committee updating the EU consumer
protection rules in order to tackle misleading rankings in online
marketplaces and dual quality of products in the EU.
According to the proposal, online marketplaces and comparison
service providers (e.g. Amazon, eBay, AirBnb, Skyscanner) will have
to disclose the main parameters determining how offers resulting
from a search query are ranked and whether the authenticity of
product reviews is checked. Consumers should also be able to know
who is actually selling the product or service and be provided with
clear information prior to a purchase.
This legislation also tackles the so-called "dual quality
of products" issue, i.e. when products marketed under the same
brand differ in composition or characteristics. MEPs agreed that
goods could only differ "on account of clear and demonstrable
regional consumer preferences, the sourcing of local
