Amazon to make it easier to terminate Prime service in EU | Photo credits: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com
by Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, July 1 (Reuters) – U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon will make it easier to terminate its Prime fast-delivery subscription in the European Union following complaints from consumer groups, the agency said. European Commission on Friday.
The European Consumers’ Organization (BEUC), the Norwegian Consumer Council and the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue expressed their concerns to the EU executive last April.
According to them, users had to overcome many hurdles, such as complicated navigation menus, biased wordings and confusing choices, to unsubscribe from Amazon Prime.
The company will now allow users to unsubscribe from Amazon Prime with two clicks through a clear and prominent “cancel button”, the Commission said.
The changes will apply to all Amazon websites and mobile apps in the EU, effective immediately.
“Consumers must be able to exercise their rights without any pressure from platforms. One thing is clear, manipulative design or ‘dark patterns’ must be prohibited,” Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement. (Report Foo Yun Chee; French version Dina Kartit, editing by Kate Entringer)