Italian Antitrust launches public consultation on authentic online review guidelines

Italy's competition authority (AGCM) has opened a public consultation on new guidelines aimed at ensuring the authenticity of online reviews. The draft, released on 30 June, proposes measures such as QR codes, OTP verification, AI screening and human review to confirm that reviewers have actually used or purchased the product or service. It applies to all professionals offering goods or services in Italy and to platforms that host third‑party reviews. The guidelines also address incentivised reviews, requiring clear disclosure of any incentives. Comments from interested parties are accepted until 15 July. The initiative follows law 34/2026, which introduced a 30‑day window for consumers to post reviews and seeks to strengthen consumer protection in the tourism, hospitality and broader market sectors.