Here we go again. A Brazilian court has fined Apple million reais (about US$19 million) and ruled that battery chargers must come with new iPhones sold in the country, reports Reuters.
The Sao Paulo state court ruled against Apple in a lawsuit, filed by the association of borrowers, consumers and taxpayers, that argued that the company commits abusive practices by selling its flagship product without a charger. Reuters says Apple will appeal the decision.
In March 2021, Brazil’s consumer protection foundation, Procon, finedApple R$ 10,546,442.48 (approximately $1.9 million) for selling iPhones without a charger.
In addition, Procon-SP accused the tech giant of misleading advertising, of selling devices with factory defects, of maintaining abusive clauses in the contract with consumers and of not having repaired a product that was still within the warranty period.
Although Apple sells new iPhone models without a charger, in December 2020 Procon-SP said it would require the equipment to be made available to consumers who order a smartphone. The government’s consumer protection and defense group said that smartphone users expect a charger to be included with the purchase.
What’s more, Procon-SP said Apple hasn’t adequately told purchases of new iPhones that they don’t come with a charger. Finally, the consumer protection organization said that despite reporting that by removing the loaders from the box, it would promote a reduction in carbon emissions, mining and the use of precious materials, the company does not demonstrate this environmental gain.
“It is inconsistent to make the sale of the device unaccompanied by the charger, without reviewing the value of the product and without presenting a plan for collecting the old appliances, recycling, etc. Chargers should be made available to consumers who order,” said Fernando Capez, executive director of Procon-SP.
