• "Best practices in the enforcement of pyramid promotional schemes" last workshop in UOKiK’s project
• UOKiK organised a session of the "Pyramid Promotional Schemes" project for the ICPEN Conference
• UOKiK as a finalist in the Consumer Education Awards 2022

This year's ICPEN events were held in a hybrid format for the first time - in Lisbon and online. Representatives of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) from the Branch Office in Gdańsk and the International Cooperation Office represented  UOKiK in Lisbon; other people interested in the subject had the opportunity to take part in the event via the zoom platform. Over 150 people registered for the events, of which around 50 came to Lisbon.

As part of the annual ICPEN Best Practices Workshop (May 25), UOKiK, together with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC, Ireland) and members of the working group, organised a workshop entitled "Best practices in the enforcement of pyramid promotional schemes". This was the fourth, final and concluding workshop of the "Pyramid Promotional Schemes" project, of which UOKiK was the initiator and co-leader. The first part highlighted key tips and good practices discussed in previous workshops, which included:

- workshop 1: Themes, Trends and Legal Panorama

- workshop 2: Enforcement and Sanctions

- workshop 3: Education and Information empowerment

In the second part of the workshop there were four breakout sessions (two virtual and two in-person), led by representatives of consumer authorities from Poland, Ireland, New Zealand and the USA. During the practical classes, participants discussed strategies for detecting and combating pyramid promotional projects, as well as what to do when dealing with one, on the example of a fictional case study of a pyramid promotional project. Conclusions reached in each breakout sessions were presented and discussed in the plenary session of the workshop.

During the High Level Meeting and Consumer Education Awards 2022 session (26 May), a video prepared by UOKiK was presented to introduce our competition entry to the meeting participants. In the "Equality and Inclusion" category, UOKiK submitted application with konsument.edu.pl simulator – an engaging educational tool for older students and teachers to promote consumer rights online. The entry submitted by UOKiK was one of the 3 finalists in this category. UOKiK's project – konsument.edu.pl – has been recognised internationally and received very positively by representatives of other consumer authorities.

UOKiK also prepared a session of the "Pyramid Promotional Schemes" project for the ICPEN Conference on 27 May. UOKiK, together with CCPC Ireland, this time in virtual format, reported on the activities of the project working group, presented the achievements and follow-up activities, including the creation of the "Expert Consultation Forum on Pyramid Promotional Schemes" within the ICPEN structures – a space for expert consultation and exchange of experience, information and best practices between national consumer protection authorities on potential pyramid schemes.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL