Italian regulator bans 'limited‑edition' claim for Very Mobile offers

The Italian Advertising Jury (Giurì della Pubblicità) issued decision 17/2026 on 21 July 2026 prohibiting Very Mobile, a brand owned by the WindTre group, from using the phrase "edizione limitata" in its commercial communications. The ban arose after a complaint from rival Iliad, which argued that the wording suggested a one‑time offer despite the promotions being repeatedly renewed. Very Mobile has removed all references to the term from its website, while the regulator indicated that alternative expressions such as "Affrettati!" remain acceptable. The jury had previously intervened in an Iliad campaign for lacking activation cost and expiry date information, leading Iliad to acknowledge the error and reimburse customers.

Separately, virtual operator Optima Mobile relaunched its "Super Mobile 150 Special Edition" plan on 27 July 2026, available exclusively online until 2 August 2026. The offer provides 150 GB of mobile data, unlimited minutes and 200 SMS for €4.95 per month, with an initial activation fee of €4.95. The promotion follows a pattern of limited‑time, online‑only offers that use the "Special Edition" label, which the advertising jury has not barred.

Both cases illustrate ongoing scrutiny of marketing language in Italy’s highly competitive mobile‑telephony market, where operators employ limited‑time branding to attract price‑sensitive customers.