eDreams Prime pushed fake discounts and blocked exits — Italy fined it €9M

eDreams sells eDreams Prime, a subscription promising discounts on flights and hotels, with tiers including Prime Plus and a free trial. Italy's competition authority found the enrollment funnel was built on dark patterns: countdown timers and artificial scarcity to rush the decision, exaggerated claims of the discounts' value, and pre-selection of the most expensive tier.

Users who were not eligible for the free trial were charged the annual fee immediately, without adequate notice. Getting out was harder than getting in: AGCM found a deliberate strategy to obstruct withdrawal and cancellation both before the trial expired and during the subscription, with retention scripts run through customer service.

On 4 February 2026 AGCM fined the three eDreams group companies €9M in total — €6M for misleading and aggressive enrollment practices, €3M for aggressive practices blocking the right of withdrawal — under articles 20–26 of the Italian Consumer Code. The case (PS12853) followed complaints by consumer associations, including Federconsumatori, which had flagged the Prime package for years.