Apple iTune Accused of Ripping UK Consumer Off

04-12-2004 00:00

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred Apple's iTunes music download service to the European Commission on stating it overcharges UK consumers.

The move follows a complaint from Which? stating iTunes charges UK users 20% more than those in France and Germany.

Which?, formerly the Consumer Association, has registered a complaint that Apple bar UK customers from logging on and downloading via the French and German web sites.

The OFT is asking the European Commission for a ruling on the matter, saying the Commission was in a better position to decide in the matter because "Apple iTunes operates in more than the required three European Union member states".

The principle, freedom of movement of goods within the single European market is being breached by the actions of Apple.

iTunes customers in the UK pay 79p to download a song, those in Germany and France are charged the equivalent of 68p.

Earlier in the year Apple attempted to justify the using the difference in the UK price of CD’s as compared with the US price, as well as referring to the price other UK companies charge.

A spokesperson for the company OD2, which runs music download sites for everyone from HMV to Wanadoo, Tiscali and MTV, say there is no reason why firms should charge UK customers anymore than those in the rest of the European Union.

Further stating their clients operate unified pricing policies charging the same across all member states, in particular referring to MSN who charge 69p per download in the UK and the euro equivalent

Apple have not as yet replied to the charges being leveled at them.

^{Source bbc}