Finance
Online travel agent eDreams fined $10.7 million by Italy's competition watchdog
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 4, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 4, 2026
Quick Summary
Italy fines eDreams €9M for unfair practices, accusing them of misleading tactics in promoting Prime memberships, highlighting regulatory scrutiny.
Italy Fines eDreams $10.7 Million for Misleading Subscription Tactics
eDreams Fined by Italy's Competition Authority
ROME, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Spanish online travel agency group eDreams has been fined 9 million euros ($10.65 million) by Italy's competition authority (AGCM) over its promotion of membership subscriptions, the watchdog said on Wednesday.
Allegations of Manipulative Tactics
The regulator said the group's companies employed manipulative digital tactics, known as dark patterns, to pressure consumers into subscribing to and maintaining its prime service.
The company did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Regulatory Response and Company Reaction
The AGCM said eDreams misrepresented the actual value of discounts and failed to provide transparent pricing differences based on user access methods and deployed retention tactics that obstructed customers seeking to cancel prime memberships.
($1 = 0.8452 euros)
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini and Cristina CarlevaroAdditional reporting by David Latona in MadridEditing by David Goodman)
Key Takeaways
- •Italy's competition authority fined eDreams €9 million.
- •The fine was for unfair commercial practices.
- •eDreams accused of misleading tactics for Prime memberships.
- •The fine highlights regulatory scrutiny on online travel agencies.
- •The decision may impact eDreams' business strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions about Online travel agent eDreams fined $10.7 million by Italy's competition watchdog
1What are unfair commercial practices?
Unfair commercial practices refer to deceptive, misleading, or aggressive marketing tactics that violate consumer rights.
2What is Prime membership?
Prime membership typically refers to a subscription service offering various benefits, such as discounts or exclusive access, often used by online retailers.
3What are implications for online travel agencies?
Implications for online travel agencies may include stricter regulations, potential fines, and the need to adopt fair marketing practices.
