Belgian Consumer Watchdog Complains About AppleCare Protection Plan

A Belgian consumer watchdog his filed a complaint about how the AppleCare Protection Plan is marketed and sold in the country.

Aankoop/Test-Achats believes that Apple’s warranty plans are marketed in a way that doesn’t adequately explain to consumers their rights, specifically how they are entitled to a free two-year warranty with any consumer electronics purchase.

AppleCare protection plan

The agency’s decision to take legal action comes after it teamed up with ten other European-based authorities in an effort to force Apple to alter its practices. The suggestion is that the iPhone-manufacturer will not alter how it sells its lucrative protection plans until a court order requires it to do so.

This is not the first time Apple warranty plans have come under scrutiny. In December 2011, the company was fined €900,000 by the Italian Antitrust Authority, a decision with Aankoop/Test-Achats believes sets a precedent.

The Italian watchdog had accused Apple of misleading consumers over product guarantees including a failure to adequately inform consumers of their right to two years free technical support.

In 2009 it emerged that Apple had voided warranties and refused to carry out repairs on computers exposed to cigarette smoke, according to a US website that champions the rights of consumers. Apple technicians refused to repair faulty machines due to the risk of contamination despite there being no mention of the warranty risk if the machine was used in a smoking environment.

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