A consumer association has voiced strong criticism regarding the 2,000 euro fine levied by the Granada City Council against the promoter of Granada Sound. The penalty stems from the practice of retaining leftover funds from 'cashless' bracelets during the festival's 2023 edition.
According to the association, this amount is "ridiculous" and fails to serve as a "deterrent," as the illicit profit the promoter may have gained is significantly higher than the fine. The entity has repeatedly reported the company for various clauses it considers "abusive," including prohibiting outside food and drinks, mandating 'cashless' payments, and charging 20 euros for not personalizing tickets within a specific timeframe.
The 2023 edition of the festival was co-financed by European Funds and received institutional support from the Granada City Council, the Junta de Andalucía, and the Ministry of Culture and Sport through the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (Inaem). Consequently, the association demanded that consumer protection regulations be upheld.
“"The sanction does not fulfill the objective of being "deterrent," as "the illicit profit" that the promoter may have obtained "is much greater than the amount to be paid."
The Discipline Section of Health and Consumption of the Granada City Council informed the association of the fine imposed on the promoter for a minor infraction, categorized as "use of unfair commercial practices with consumers and users." This infraction falls under Article 49.1 of Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007, of November 16, which approves the consolidated text of the General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users.
Furthermore, the association highlighted the non-compliance with Article 60 of the same law, concerning charges for the use of payment methods, which prohibits businesses from charging consumers fees that exceed the cost incurred by the business. Article 19 of Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated October 25, 2011, on consumer rights, which prohibits merchants from charging consumers fees for certain payment methods that exceed the actual cost to the merchant, was also violated.
The association laments that, as long as sanctioning bodies do not act with greater force, "it will continue to be more profitable for infringing companies to commit the irregularity and subsequently pay the fine than to implement measures to prevent a similar situation from recurring."
