European Commission decides to clamp down on discriminatory Internet prices…

The European Commission has announced that it is going to clamp down on the practice of web sites charging different prices to customers depending on their surfing habits or their locations. Following a survey of 11,000 test purchases, it has found out that 60% of orders made online from another country are turned down by the e-tailer. E-tailers often charge more money or refuse the order altogether. The Commission said that discrimination based on location will be prohibited when the EU’s Services Directive is implemented. Under that Directive, Member States must end discrimination, except to the extent that it is objectively justified. The UK’s Office of Fair Trading has also vowed to look into the matter and decide whether consumers were being disadvantaged by discriminatory pricing and behavioural advertising.