Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni faces a hefty fine of $1 million following allegations of misleading her followers with a charity-linked promotion of a pink-branded Christmas cake last year. Ferragni, known for her substantial social media following of almost 30 million on Instagram, initially claimed that proceeds from the cake sales would be donated to charity, specifically aiding children with bone cancer at Turin’s Regina Margherita Hospital.
However, Italian authorities revealed that despite the influencer’s claims, the promised donation never reached the hospital. The AGCM antitrust authority discovered that consumers who purchased the Ferragni-branded pandoro cake were misled into believing that their purchases would support the acquisition of medical equipment for treating children with Osteosarcoma and Ewing’s Sarcoma. This exploitation of consumers’ goodwill toward charitable causes violated Italy’s consumer code, leading to a substantial fine against Ferragni.
In response to the controversy, Ferragni issued a public apology on Instagram, acknowledging her “mistake in good faith” in linking a commercial activity with a charitable cause. Despite intending to appeal the authority’s ruling, she vowed to donate the $1 million fine to the Regina Margherita Hospital, aiming to fulfill the initially promised charitable contribution.
The situation garnered attention from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who criticized influencers endorsing costly products under the guise of charitable initiatives. Although not mentioning Ferragni by name, Meloni emphasized exploiting consumers’ sensitivity to charitable causes, especially those aiding children with serious illnesses. The AGCM watchdog condemned the false advertising as an unfair commercial practice, highlighting its exploitation of consumers’ goodwill toward charitable initiatives.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
