French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir said 85% of price reductions advertised on major e-commerce platforms breach European rules, describing most crossed-out prices as “artificial comparison prices” designed to mislead shoppers. The association examined 933 listings on Amazon, ASOS, Cdiscount, Shein, Temu and Zalando between February and April. Only 15% of promotions were calculated against the lowest price charged in the previous 30 days, as required by the EU’s 2022 “Omnibus” directive. Genuine discounts averaged 11%, while purported savings based on comparison prices claimed an improbable 31%. UFC-Que Choisir said it will file a complaint with the European Commission and urged Brussels to ban any reference price other than the lowest 30-day price in the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act. The group also cited the French consumer-fraud agency’s €40 million fine against fast-fashion retailer Shein last week as evidence that enforcement remains patchy.