Rechtsprechung

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Chapter 2, Article 5, 1. Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Annex I, 28.

The invitation to participate in a prize draw by using a premium rate number is not considered to be a remuneration for the participation as long as the prize draw operator only gets reimbursed what covers the lump-sum expense of the organisation of the prize draw.
An invitation to children for a free-of-charge participation in a prize draw is not included in the per-se prohibitions under the Unfair Competition Act which implements Directive 2005/29.

The defendant is the media owner of the monthly published magazine, "medizini". The magazine is for children between five and twelve years of age and is distributed for free in pharmacies.
The defendant organized a prize draw in which children could participate by calling a premium rate number, while the former only received what corresponds to a lump-sum expense for the call. It was also possible to participate in the prize draw by writing a post card and sending it to the defendant.
The plaintiff stated that by inviting children to participate in the prize draw and hence to call the number, it is an invitation to a sale offer which is illegal under the unfair competition law.

May a lump-sum payment be regarded as remuneration and therefore seen as a remunerated sale offer, which is an unfair practice in case it is concluded with children?

The court stated that in order to establish a breach of competition law, children have to be invited to make a sale offer against remuneration. A pure lump-sum reimbursement of a cost is not considered a sale offer.

URL: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokument.wxe?Abfrage=Justiz&Dokumentnummer=JJT_20160615_OGH0002_0040OB00126_16G0000_000&ResultFunctionToken=a72128ab-f4ee-4c04-852e-8190241ac2dd&Position=1&Gericht=&Rechtssatznummer=&Rechtssatz=&Fundstelle=&AenderungenSeit=Undefined&SucheNachRechtssatz=False&SucheNachText=True&GZ=4+Ob+126%2f16g&VonDatum=&BisDatum=22.12.2016&Norm=&ImRisSeit=Undefined&ResultPageSize=100&Suchworte=

Volltext: Volltext

Keine Ergebnisse verfügbar

Mitgliedstaat: Österreich Titel: Gewinnspiel via Mehrwertnummer: keine unzulässige Kinderwerbung Urheber/in: DOCEKAL, U.

Österreich

Gewinnspiel via Mehrwertnummer: keine unzulässige Kinderwerbung

DOCEKAL, U.

The defendant's appeal was dismissed.