Poland’s Consumer Watchdog Challenges Samsung Over ‘Verified’ Product Reviews

Key Takeaways

• Regulator Raises Misleading Practices Concerns: The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has brought formal charges against Samsung Electronics Polska, alleging that its handling of online reviews may mislead consumers.
• ‘Verified Purchase’ Label Under Scrutiny: Reviews marked as “Verified purchase / Product used by customer” can be published based solely on a self-declared checkbox, without requiring proof such as a receipt or order number.
• Authenticity Labels May Reinforce False Confidence: UOKiK found that labels such as “Authentic review™ Bazaarvoice” may give consumers additional reassurance, even though reviews are not verified to confirm actual product purchase or use.
• Ratings Include Unverified Reviews: Reviews without any indication of verification are still included in overall product ratings and star breakdowns, which are displayed to consumers before individual reviews.
• Potential Financial Penalty: If the allegations are confirmed, Samsung Electronics Polska could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its turnover.

Deep Dive

The President of the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) recently announced formal charges against Samsung Electronics Polska, alleging that the company’s approach to publishing and labeling online reviews may mislead consumers. If the allegations are confirmed, the company could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its turnover.

The case goes to the heart of how heavily shoppers now rely on online feedback. Social research commissioned by UOKiK found that 93 percent of respondents base their online purchasing decisions on internet reviews, making the credibility of those opinions a decisive factor in consumer choice.

“Knowing whether reviews are verified or not allows consumers to exercise appropriate caution when reading them and making purchasing decisions,” said Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK. “For many of us, only comments from people who have actually used a product are of real value. A business that endorses such opinions must therefore make a genuine effort to verify them.”

A Label That Implies More Than It Delivers

UOKiK’s concerns focus on reviews displayed on Samsung’s Polish website that carry the label “Verified purchase / Product used by customer.” According to the authority, this wording gives the clear impression that the reviewer has purchased and used the product in question.

However, UOKiK’s review of Samsung’s process found that a review can receive this label simply by ticking a checkbox declaring that it is based on personal use or purchase. The company does not require an order number, receipt, or any other form of proof to support that declaration.

The regulator also highlighted the presence of an “Authentic review™ Bazaarvoice” label on the site. While the criteria behind this designation are not explained to consumers, UOKiK says the wording may further reinforce the perceived credibility of the reviews. Although some submissions may be rejected, the authority found no verification process to confirm that published reviews actually come from customers who bought or used the products.

In the regulator’s assessment, relying on self-declarations and a rejection mechanism does not necessarily amount to reasonable or proportionate verification of review authenticity.

Star Ratings Without Transparency

UOKiK’s charges also address how reviews are reflected in Samsung’s overall product ratings. Some reviews include no information on whether their origin has been verified, yet they are still counted toward overall numerical scores and star ratings across categories such as performance or features.

These aggregated ratings are what consumers see first. Individual reviews, and any uncertainty about their origin, come later. According to UOKiK, consumers should be clearly informed upfront whether the reviews feeding into these ratings are verified and how the scores are calculated. The authority says Samsung does not provide this information at any stage of the product presentation.

As a result, consumers may be making purchasing decisions based on ratings and reviews that appear more reliable than they actually are.

The charges do not yet represent a final decision. But if UOKiK’s allegations are upheld, Samsung Electronics Polska could be fined up to 10 percent of its turnover. More broadly, the case shows growing regulatory scrutiny across Europe over how online reviews are verified, labeled, and presented—at a time when a handful of stars can make or break a sale.

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