Rogue marketing practices are again up for debate, after DN’s disclosure about the Social Democrats’ lottery sales. The Consumer Agency’s Cecilia Tisell signs DN Debate that it has made visible “an unfitness that has been allowed to last for too long”.
“It is the sales method as such that is problematic. It is especially difficult for vulnerable target groups such as the elderly, people with cognitive impairments or those with low knowledge of Swedish,” writes Tisell.
“A pure ban”
The Swedish Consumer Agency, which is the supervisory authority over the Marketing Act, has worked to strengthen consumer protection in the case of telephone sales. And according to the director general, protection has gradually improved – including through the industry’s self-regulating Nix register, where consumers can block their number for marketing and sales, and requirements for written approval for all agreements made over the phone.
But that is not enough, according to Cecilia Tisell.
– The problems continue. Now we need to do something else, she tells SVT Nyheter.
Above all, the authority wants to see a ban on telephone sales of credits.
– We specifically propose that there be an outright ban on telephone sales of loans, says Tisell.
She also wants to see an opt-in system, where companies – unlike today – are only allowed to contact consumers who have given their permission, through contract or otherwise.
– Surveys that we have done in the past show that many consumers do not want to be called by telemarketers at all, she says.
“Not a fault with the system”
Ethical guidelines for telephone marketing sales have been developed by Swedma, a trade organization within data-driven marketing that works for self-regulation, and Kontakta, trade and interest organization for companies working with customer service and telephone sales. Based on these guidelines, the association Nix-telefon has created the rules that govern the blocking register.
– It is not the fault of the system, but of individuals and individual companies that break the rules, says Mattias Grundström, general counsel at Swedma and secretary of the Nix committee.
However, Cecilia Tisell does not believe that the industry can solve the problems themselves, and welcomes an investigation.
– I would think that legislation is required.